Author: jknfatawa1

Praying Eid Salāh at Home; Permissible or Not?

jknfatawa1 Salah

14th May 2020

Question: As there is the likely chance that the Masajid will remain closed after Ramadhān, is it permissible to perform Eid Salāh at home?

 

 الجواب حامداً و مصلياً

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer

In reference to your query, Eid Salāh is wajib that must be performed with specific conditions in order for it to be valid. Amongst those conditions is that it must be performed in a communal place, like the case with Jumu’ah Salāh. Performing it in one’s private residence where there is restricted access for people violates the condition. Albeit some scholars are in favour of its permissibility [which we respect], it is necessary that principles are followed correctly for our worship to be accepted. If someone gives open access to the local community to perform the Eid Salāh at their home or in their garden [or a group of people pray it on a plain field] then it would be valid because the condition of idhnal-Am [which is amongst the fundamental conditions] is now fulfilled. [1] This, however, is not recommended for two reasons; firstly that this practice infringes the government guidelines of social distancing increasing the chances of transmitting COVID-19 between people. Secondly, in allowing it may potentially normalise the practice amongst the laypeople to read it at home with family members undermining the importance of performing it at the Masjid or Eidgah. So long as the Masajid are closed and the social distancing laws are in place, it can be treated as if the Eid Salāh is missed. It is therefore recommended according to the Hanafi tradition, to perform four rak’ats [or two] optional prayer individually at home instead of the Eid prayer itself.[2] Eid Salāh according to the Hanafi school has no Qadha substitute. They adduce the narration of Sayyidunā Abdullah Ibn Masūd radhiyallahu anhu transmitted with an authentic chain which states, “Whosoever has missed the Eid Salāh should read four rakats; reading surah A’la in the first rakat, surah Shams in the second rakat, surah Layl in the third rakat and surah Duha in the fourth rakat.[3] Imām Kasāni rahimahullah explains the legal rationale behind this that, Eid Salāh is to be performed with specific conditions as illustrated by the Messenger of Allāh sallallahu alayhi wasallam. When those conditions are not met, then unlike with Jumu’ah Salāh, Eid Salāh cannot be substituted with Qadha. Hence, according to the narration of Ibn Masūd radhiyallahu anhu, it is recommended otherwise not necessary to perform four rakats.[4] Other Tabi’īn scholars who also maintained that four rakats should be performed are Imām Sha’bī rahimahullah, Imām Masrūq rahimahullah and Imām Dhahāk rahimahullah.[5] Contrarily, other legal jurists such as Imām Shāfi’ī rahimahullah permit making up for the Eid Salāh individually as Qadha whether in its time or outside of its time. He adduces the report in Bukhari that Sayyidunā Anas Ibn Mālik radhiyallahu anhu gathered his family members at home and performed the two rakats of Eid Salāh after missing it in the Masjid.[6] Ibn Hajar al-Asqalāni rahimahullah comments that this narration illustrates the permissibility of making up for it as Qadha [whether individually or congregation with the extra Takbirs].[7] It can, however, be argued that this was Sayyiduna Anas’ radhiyallahu anhu personal Ijtihad on the issue otherwise other learned companions such as Abdullah Ibn Masūd radhiyallahu anhu did not view it as such and instead recommended reading four rakats but not as Qadha. As there is no clear guidance from the Messenger of Allāh sallallahu alayhi wasallam, it is natural for the noble companions and the legal jurists to differ.[8] 

So to conclude, the Eid Salah, as a recommendation, should be substituted with the four rak’ats of prayer at home. Having said that, remember that this is a legitimate difference of opinion and there is no one conclusive answer as evident above.  What is necessary is to maintain respect towards each other even towards those who choose to adopt another view. Like with every juristic difference, tolerance must be adopted always so to prevent discord amongst the community.

 

[Allãh Knows Best]

Written and researched by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed

Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

JKN Fatawa Department

 

 

[1] For more details on our position on praying Jumuah Salāh at home, click the below link.

https://jknfatawa.co.uk.smeweb-solutions.uk/should-the-masajid-be-closed-and-is-it-permissible-to-perform-jumuah-salah-at-home-because-of-the-coronavirus/

[2] Durrul Mukhtār wa hashiyah Ibn Ābideen Shāmi, Kitābus Salāh, Bāb Eidayn, vol 5 p. 135 – al-farfoor

[بَابُ الْعِيدَيْنِ]

(قَوْلُهُ صَلَّى أَرْبَعًا كَالضُّحَى) أَيْ اسْتِحْبَابًا كَمَا فِي الْقُهُسْتَانِيِّ وَلَيْسَ هَذَا قَضَاءً لِأَنَّهُ لَيْسَ عَلَى كَيْفِيَّتِهَا ط.قُلْت: وَهِيَ صَلَاةُ الضُّحَى كَمَا فِي الْحِلْيَةِ عَنْ الْخَانِيَّةِ فَقَوْلُهُ تَبَعًا لِلْبَدَائِعِ كَالضُّحَى مَعْنَاهُ أَنَّهُ لَا يُكَبِّرُ فِيهَا لِلزَّوَائِدِ مِثْلَ الْعِيدِ تَأَمَّلْ

 

[3] Maraqi alal-Falah, Sharah Noorul Iydhh, Kitab Salāh, Bab al-Eidayn, vol 1, p. 203

قال عبد الله بن مسعود هو السنة ويكبر القوم معه ويصلون على النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في أنفسهم امتثالا للأمر وسنة الإنصات “ومن فاتته الصلاة” فلم يدركها “مع الإمام لا يقضيها” لأنها لم تعرف قربة إلا بشرائط لا تتم بدون الإمام أي السلطان أو مأموره فإن شاء انصرف وإن شاء صلى نفلا والأفضل أربع فيكون له صلاة الضحى لما روي عن ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه أنه قال من فاتته صلاة العيد صلى أربع ركعات يقرأ في الأولى بـ {سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى} وفي الثانية: {وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا} [الشمس: 1] وفي الثالثة: {وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى} [الليل: 1] وفي الرابعة: {وَالضُّحَى} وروي في ذلك عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وعدا جميلا وثوابا جزيلا انتهى

 

[4] Kasān, Badā’i Sanāi, Kitāb Salah, Bab Edayn, vol 1 p. 279

وَأَمَّا بَيَانُ مَا يُفْسِدُهَا، وَبَيَانُ حُكْمِهَا إذَا فَسَدَتْ، أَوْ فَاتَتْ عَنْ وَقْتِهَا، فَكُلُّ مَا يُفْسِدُ سَائِرَ الصَّلَوَاتِ وَمَا يُفْسِدُ الْجُمُعَةَ يُفْسِدُ صَلَاةَ الْعِيدَيْنِ مِنْ خُرُوجِ الْوَقْتِ فِي خِلَالِ الصَّلَاةِ، أَوْ بَعْدَمَا قَعَدَ قَدْرَ التَّشَهُّدِ، وَفَوْتِ الْجَمَاعَةِ عَلَى التَّفْصِيلِ وَالِاخْتِلَافِ الَّذِي ذَكَرْنَا فِي الْجُمُعَةِ، غَيْرَ أَنَّهَا إنْ فَسَدَتْ بِمَا يَفْسُدُ بِهِ سَائِرُ الصَّلَوَاتِ مِنْ الْحَدَثِ الْعَمْدِ وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ يَسْتَقْبِلُ الصَّلَاةَ عَلَى شَرَائِطِهَا، وَإِنْ فَسَدَتْ بِخُرُوجِ الْوَقْتِ أَوْ فَاتَتْ عَنْ وَقْتِهَا مَعَ الْإِمَامِ سَقَطَتْ، وَلَا يَقْضِيهَا عِنْدَنَا، وَقَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ يُصَلِّيهَا وَحْدَهُ كَمَا يُصَلِّي الْإِمَامُ يُكَبِّرُ فِيهَا تَكْبِيرَاتِ الْعِيدِ، وَالصَّحِيحُ قَوْلُنَا؛ لِأَنَّ الصَّلَاةَ بِهَذِهِ الصِّفَةِ مَا عُرِفَتْ قُرْبَةً إلَّا بِفِعْلِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – كَالْجُمُعَةِ، وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – مَا فَعَلَهَا إلَّا بِالْجَمَاعَةِ كَالْجُمُعَةِ، فَلَا يَجُوزُ أَدَاؤُهَا إلَّا بِتِلْكَ الصِّفَةِ؛ وَلِأَنَّهَا مُخْتَصَّةٌ بِشَرَائِطَ يَتَعَذَّرُ تَحْصِيلُهَا فِي الْقَضَاءِ، فَلَا تُقْضَى كَالْجُمُعَةِ وَلَكِنَّهُ يُصَلِّي أَرْبَعًا مِثْلَ صَلَاةِ الضُّحَى إنْ شَاءَ؛ لِأَنَّهَا إذَا فَاتَتْ لَا يُمْكِنُ تَدَارُكُهَا بِالْقَضَاءِ لِفَقْدِ الشَّرَائِطِ، فَلَوْ صَلَّى مِثْلَ صَلَاةِ الضُّحَى لِيَنَالَ الثَّوَابَ كَانَ حَسَنًا لَكِنْ لَا يَجِبُ لِعَدَمِ دَلِيلِ الْوُجُوبِ، وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنْ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ مَنْ فَاتَتْهُ صَلَاةُ الْعِيدِ صَلَّى أَرْبَعًا.

 

[5] Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah vol 2, p.4

الرَّجُلُ تَفُوتُهُ الصَّلَاةُ فِي الْعِيدِ، كَمْ يُصَلِّي؟

5799 – حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ مُطَرِّفٍ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ: «يُصَلِّي أَرْبَعًا»

5800 – حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، وَحَفْصٌ، عَنْ حَجَّاجٌ، عَنْ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، قَالَ: قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ: «مَنْ فَاتَهُ الْعِيدُ فَلْيُصَلِّ أَرْبَعًا»

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ هَاشِمٍ، عَنْ جُوَيْبِرٍ، عَنِ الضَّحَّاكِ، قَالَ: «مَنْ كَانَ لَهُ عُذْرٌ يُعْذَرُ بِهِ فِي يَوْمِ فِطْرٍ أَوْ جُمُعَةٍ أَوْ أَضْحَى، فَصَلَاتُهُ أَرْبَعُ رَكَعَاتٍ»

 

[6] In the Shafi’ee school, Salatul Eid is an optional prayer contrary to the Hanafies who view it as Wajib prayer. Both the Hanafies and Maliki school view that there is no Qadha. In the Hanbali school, one is permitted to make Qadha if they so wish, of four rakats with one salam or two salams. Mawsoo’atul Kuwaitiyyah, vol 27, p. 244

حُكْمُهَا بَعْدَ خُرُوجِ وَقْتِهَا:

لِفَوَاتِ صَلاَةِ الْعِيدِ عَنْ وَقْتِهَا ثَلاَثُ صُوَرٍ: – الصُّورَةُ الأْولَى: أَنْ تُؤَدَّى صَلاَةُ الْعِيدِ جَمَاعَةً فِي وَقْتِهَا مِنَ الْيَوْمِ الأْوَّل وَلَكِنَّهَا فَاتَتْ بَعْضَ الأْفْرَادِ، وَحُكْمُهَا فِي هَذِهِ الصُّورَةِ أَنَّهَا فَاتَتْ إِلَى غَيْرِ قَضَاءٍ، فَلاَ تُقْضَى مَهْمَا كَانَ الْعُذْرُ؛ لأِنَّهَا صَلاَةٌ خَاصَّةٌ لَمْ تُشْرَعْ إِلاَّ فِي وَقْتٍ مُعَيَّنٍ وَبِقُيُودٍ خَاصَّةٍ، فَلاَ بُدَّ مِنْ تَكَامُلِهَا جَمِيعًا، وَمِنْهَا الْوَقْتُ. وَهَذَا عِنْدَ الْحَنَفِيَّةِ وَالْمَالِكِيَّةِ.وَأَمَّا الشَّافِعِيَّةُ: فَقَدْ أَطْلَقُوا الْقَوْل بِمَشْرُوعِيَّةِ قَضَائِهَا – عَلَى الْقَوْل الصَّحِيحِ فِي الْمَذْهَبِ – فِي أَيِّ وَقْتٍ شَاءَ وَكَيْفَمَا كَانَ: مُنْفَرِدًا أَوْ جَمَاعَةً، وَذَلِكَ بِنَاءً عَلَى أَصْلِهِمُ الْمُعْتَمَدِ، وَهُوَ أَنَّ نَوَافِل الصَّلاَةِ كُلَّهَا يُشْرَعُ قَضَاؤُهَا . وَأَمَّا الْحَنَابِلَةُ: فَقَالُوا: لاَ تُقْضَى صَلاَةُ الْعِيدِ، فَإِنْ أَحَبَّ قَضَاءَهَا فَهُوَ مُخَيَّرٌ إِنْ شَاءَ صَلاَّهَا أَرْبَعًا، إِمَّا بِسَلاَمٍ وَاحِدٍ، وَإِمَّا بِسَلاَمَيْنِ .

 

[7] Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Fathul Bari vol 2, p. 475

أَيْ مَعَ الْإِمَامِ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ فِي هَذِهِ التَّرْجَمَةِ حُكْمَانِ مَشْرُوعِيَّةُ اسْتِدْرَاكِ صَلَاةِ الْعِيد إِذا فَاتَت مَعَ الْجَمَاعَة سَوَاء كَانَت بِالِاضْطِرَارِ أَوْ بِالِاخْتِيَارِ وَكَوْنِهَا تُقْضَى رَكْعَتَيْنِ كَأَصْلِهَا وَخَالَفَ فِي الْأَوَّلِ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْهُمُ الْمُزَنِيُّ فَقَالَ لَا تقضى وفىالثانى الثَّوْرِيُّ وَأَحْمَدُ قَالَا إِنْ صَلَّاهَا وَحْدَهُ صَلَّى أَرْبعا وَلَهُمَا فِي ذَلِك سلف قَالَ بن مَسْعُودٍ مَنْ فَاتَهُ الْعِيدُ مَعَ الْإِمَامِ فَلْيُصَلِّ أَرْبَعًا أَخْرَجَهُ سَعِيدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ بِإِسْنَادٍ صَحِيحٍ وَقَالَ إِسْحَاق إِن صلاهَا فىالجماعة فَرَكْعَتَيْنِ وَإِلَّا فَأَرْبَعًا قَالَ الزَّيْنُ بْنُ الْمُنِيرِ كَأَنَّهُمْ قَاسُوهَا عَلَى الْجُمُعَةِ لَكِنَّ الْفَرْقَ ظَاهِرٌ لِأَنَّ مَنْ فَاتَتْهُ الْجُمُعَةُ يَعُودُ لِفَرْضِهِ مِنَ الظُّهْرِ بِخِلَافِ الْعِيدِ انْتَهَى

[8] The above discussion was in reference to performing the Eid Salāh individually after missing it with the Imām. In the Hanafi tradition, if some people after missing it with the Imām decided to congregate behind someone to lead them at a communal place then in principle this is permissible provided if the remaining conditions are also fulfilled. Durrul Mukhtār wa hashiyah Ibn Ābideen Shāmi, Kitābus Salāh, Bāb Eidayn, vol 5 p. 135 – al-farfoor

(وَلَا يُصَلِّيهَا وَحْدَهُ إنْ فَاتَتْ مَعَ الْإِمَامِ)

(قَوْلُهُ مَعَ الْإِمَامِ) وَلَوْ بِالْإِفْسَادِ اتِّفَاقًا فِي الْأَصَحِّ كَمَا فِي تَيَمُّمِ الْبَحْرِ 

 مُتَعَلِّقٌ بِمَحْذُوفٍ حَالٌ مِنْ ضَمِيرِ فَاتَتْ لَا بِ فَاتَتْ لِأَنَّ الْمَعْنَى أَنَّ الْإِمَامَ أَدَّاهَا وَفَاتَتْ الْمُقْتَدِيَ لِأَنَّهَا لَوْ فَاتَتْ الْإِمَامَ وَالْمُقْتَدِيَ تُقْضَى كَمَا يَأْتِي أَفَادَهُ فِي مِعْرَاجِ الدِّرَايَةِ

 

 

Is Paying Fidya Permissible for someone diagnosed with Kidney Failure (CKD)?

jknfatawa1 Fasting

7th May 2020

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Question: I am in a situation where I need to confirm how does Fidya workout, and how it needs to be done. In June 2019 I was diagnosed with Kidney Failure (CKD) I’m on dialysis 2-3 times a week. I’ve been told by nurses that fasting in my condition would affect my health and could potentially make it worse. So am I eligible for Fidya? And how does it work?  Also I must add, I’ve always kept my fasts during Ramadan, but the fasts I’ve missed due to menstruation, have not been made up for, so it’s been a few years so I have atleast 30 fasts to make up for. Does Fidya apply to these fasts too? Or do I have to wait for the future and see if my health has improved and may be able to do Qaza Fasts?

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الجواب حامداً و مصلياً

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer: In reference to the above question, fidya is applicable to that individual who has no hope of fasting in the future.[1] Therefore, as a replacement they must pay fidya which is equivalent to the amount of sadqatul fitr (or enough to feed a poor person two meals a day).[2] This payment should be made at the beginning of Ramadhān although can be extended throughout the month. In your case in particular, if you are advised and certain that you are unable to fast in the future then fidya will apply to you as well as for the qadha fasts missed previously. If you happen to recover in the future and you remain hopeful of fasting again without it being detrimental to your health then it becomes necessary for you to make up for the qadha fasts as in this case fidya would not be applied.[3] The fidya given become optional charity.

 

[Allāh Knows Best]

 

 Written by:  Apa Gul-e-Maryam         Reviewed by: Mufti Abdul Waheed

Attested by: Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

 JKN Fatawa Department

 

[1] Badai Sanai, Kitab Sawm, Vol 2,Pg 97

وعلى الذين كانوا يطيقونه ” أي: الصوم ثم عجزوا عنه فدية طعام مسكين والله أعلم ولأن الصوم لما فاته مست الحاجة إلى الجابر وتعذر جبره بالصوم فيجبر بالفدية، وتجعل الفدية مثلا للصوم شرعا في هذه الحالة للضرورة كالقيمة في ضمان المتلفات، ومقدار الفدية مقدار صدقة الفطر، وهو أن يطعم عن كل يوم مسكينا مقدار ما يطعم في صدقة الفطر

 

[2] Tuhfatul Fuqaha, Kitab Sawm, Vol 1,Pg 359

ومن أفطر لشيء من العذر ثم زال العذر فعليه القضاء بعدد الأيام التي يزول عنه العذر فيها

وليس عليه قضاء ما لم يزل العذر عنه فيها حتى إن المسافر إذا مات في السفر والمريض قبل البرء لا يجب عليهما القضاء لأن العاجز لا يكلف وإن أدركا بعدد ما فاتهما يلزمهما القضاء وإذا ماتا قبل القضاء يجب عليهما الفدية

والفدية أن يطعم لكل يوم مسكينا بقدر ما يجب في صدقة الفطر

 

[3] Hidaya, Kitab Sawm, Vol 1, Pg 124

والشيخ الفاني الذي لا يقدر على الصيام يفطر ويطعم لكل يوم مسكينا كما يطعم في الكفارات ” والأصل فيه قوله تعالى: {وعلى الذين يطيقونه فدية طعام مسكين} [البقرة: 184] قيل معناه لا يطيقونه ولو قدر على الصوم يبطل حكم الفداء لأن شرط الخلفية استمرار العجز ” ومن مات وعليه قضاء رمضان فأوصى به أطعم عنه وليه لكل مسكينا نصف صاع من بر أو صاعا من تمر أو شعير ” لأنه عجز عن الأداء في آخر عمره فصار كالشيخ الفاني ثم لا بد من الإيصاء عندنا

Virtual Salāh During Ramadhān Lock down

jknfatawa1 Salah

6th May 2020

 

Question: Is virtual Salāh of both the Tarawīh and Jumu’ah Salāh permissible during the Covid-19 lock down as some modern scholars advocate?

 

الجواب حامداً و مصلياً

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer

Virtual Salāh means a person at home follows the local Masjid Imām who broadcasts the congregation prayer online. In other words, the person at home fastens his intention to perform Salāh behind the Imām via online transmission. This relatively new issue has arisen due to the suspension of all congregational prayers in the Masājid because of the COVID-19 lock down and social distancing rules. The virtual Salāh is thus propounded as an alternative mode of congregational prayer in the current pandemic. With the exception of the minority of modernist scholars, the vast majority of scholars have not allowed it. Some of the common reasons used to justify virtual Salāh include, not to deprive people from the blessings of reading the Jumu’ah Salāh and listening to the full Quran recitation during the Tarawīh Salāh. Laws are justifiably relaxed in extenuating circumstances so to create ease for people. Some case examples where strict laws are mitigated in specific circumstances are such as Tayammum in the absence of water and the permission of people in the Haram to follow the Imām from their hotels etc. Such examples, they argue, can be used as analogies to the validity of virtual Salāh. Moreover, the Sharī῾ah allows the scope of fiqh rulings to change so to adapt with the changing circumstances. Applying the letter of the law otherwise creates difficulty for people. Some have also argued specifically for the Jumu’ah prayer that not attending the Jumu’ah prayer will ‘certainly’ lead to diminishing community bonds and less attachment to the Masajid.[1] Hence, for the sake of creating ease for the people, Tarawīh and Jumu’ah online has been allowed but only as a temporary alternative until the Masajid re-open for communal prayers.

Though the above arguments sound convincing, they are misapplied for a number of reasons. Firstly, that undoubtedly fiqh rulings do change due to changing circumstances in duress situations but only with specific conditions, one of them being that no alternative provision is available to mitigate the situation. Tarawīh prayer is sunnah mu’akkadah – emphasised Sunnah – and not obligatory as agreed by the scholars of Islām. Praying in congregation is a sunnah but not an integral condition which the validity of the Salāh depends on. Praying it individually is also valid. Likewise, to complete the entire Quran is not necessary. It would suffice if a few people congregate at home behind a non-Hafiz to lead them in prayer and recite short Surahs.[2] Congregation however is conditional for the Jumu’ah Salāh – minimum of four including the Imām in the Hanafi school – but when Jumu’ah is suspended, it is substituted with Zuhr Salāh.[3] This suggests that when alternative provisions are available the we resort to them in the hope of reward. In this case, referring to virtual Salāh as an alternative mode is not justifiable. Secondly, citing other legal cases as analogies to create flexibility is also incorrect because each case is treated on its merit with specific conditions. Analogy is valid if there are relevant similarities between both the precedent and the new case and where there isn’t, it is not valid. Furthermore, analogy is resorted to in the absence of clear text. As there are evidences that Tarawīh in congregation is not necessary from the prophetic practice and that Zuhr is a valid substitute for Jumu’ah in mitigating circumstances, resorting to analogies with other legal cases is unwarranted. Lastly, the argument that allowing the prayers especially Jumu’ah virtually may otherwise break the habit of people attending the weekly masjid for Jumu’ah then the inverse argument is equally valid that allowing virtual prayers could potentially lead to a slippery slope practice of becoming normalised amongst people. In short, the justifications offered in flexing the law by allowing virtual prayers is unwarranted which means that the necessary approach is to pray at home separately in small congregations.[4]

The Legal Stance on Virtual Salāh 

The legal standpoint is that virtual Salāh behind an Imām renders the congregant’s Salāh invalid. to explain this. there are a number of integral conditions to be met for the congregational Salāh to be valid and virtual Salāh does not fulfil any of them.

  1. According to the majority of scholars, uniformity of place between the Imām and the congregants i.e. both to be physically present at the same site and location, is essential. This is known as اتحاد المكان [tr. uniformity of place] like for instance, both performing Salāh in the same building. In virtual Salāh, the Imām and the congregants are not praying at the same site so therefore, اتحاد المكان is not being fulfilled.
  2. If due to the vast number of congregants, some congregants are not physically present at the Imām’s site [like the case with Makkah and Madīnah for instance] then the minimal criteria is for the rows [saffs] to be interconnected [اتصال] in such a way that no significant gap exists in between that separates them from the Imām. This interconnection of rows implicitly suffices as uniformity of place of the Imām and congregants. If an obstruction exists between the rows equivalent to a road allowing either people or vehicles to easily cross then this disconnects the congregants from the Imām which means that they Salāh shall not be valid behind the Imām. Virtual pray most definitely is obstructed with roads and pathways between them and the Imām so here, the condition of اتصال is absent.
  3. The congregants must be aware of the Imām’s postures throughout the duration of the Salāh whether through sounds of the Takbīrs or visual. If the knowledge of the Imām’s postures is disrupted for a significant time due to some interference [the internet connection breaks because of buffering] then this too disconnects the congregants from the Imām, rendering their Salāh invalid.
  4. It is not permissible for anyone to stand in front of the Imām and if so, then the Salāh is not valid. [5] In virtual prays, as the rows are not connected in an orderly manner like they would be when praying in the Masjid behind the Imām, it is highly probable that someone may end up standing ahead of the Imām without noticing, rendering their Salāh invalid.

The underpinning principle as it is clear by now is the necessity of the connection of rows and uniformity of the place. This has been supported with a prophetic narration reported from Sayyidunā Anas ibn Mālik radhiyallahu anhu that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said: “Stand close together in your rows, bring them near to one another, and stand neck to neck, for by Him in Whose hand my soul is, I see the devil coming in through openings in the row just like a small black sheep.”[6]

Mullah Ali Qāri rahimahullah and Maulana Khalīl Ahmad Saharanpuri rahimahullah interpret bring them near one another to imply that the rows must be interconnected closely enough leaving no gaps of a row or two in between. Likewise, the distance between them should not give the impression that both the Imām and the congregants are in two separate places [due to the significant gap between them].[7] There is another report from Sayyiduna Umar radhiyallahu anhu carifying the amount of gap that disconnects the rows in the following words , “If between him and the Imām is a river, or a path or a row of women then there is no Salāh for him [invalid].”[8]

An Imām has been appointed to be followed which is only fulfilled if uniformity exists between him and the congregants whether explicitly; praying at the same site or implicitly; interconnection of the rows. A renowned Hanaif jurist, Imām Kasāni rahimahullah explains the legal rational behind this stating that following the Imām requires subordination [التَّبَعِيَّةَ] towards him in every way which is only possible if both are on par with each other on a unified platform or place. When both are in separate locations, it prevents subordination which resultantly negates the congregant’s Salāh. Different locations could furthermore lead to confusion in the Imām’s posture position and if this happens then the prayer is devoid.[9]

The renowned Hanafi jurist Ibn Ābidīn Shāmi rahimahullah and the author of Tahtawi [commentary of the Marāqi] further elaborate that an obstruction of a river that allows a boat even if small one to easily cross or a pathway that allows a bull dragging a carriage [or a tool used to plough in the field] severs the connection between the congregants and their Imam and thus, invalidates the congregant’s Salāh. This includes modern-day standard vehicles since carriages in those where used to carry passengers. Ibn Ābidīn Shāmi rahimahullah however adds that there should not be a gap of at least two rows distance between the rows but if [due to the vast number of congregants] it does happen but the rows remain connected [as much as possible] then this grants some leeway [as at times it can be unavoidable so long as it is not equivalent to a path that allows a carriage to cross] [10]. Ibn Ābidīn rahimahullah further continues that a small barrier or minor obstruction for instance, a wall is not an obstruction if it does not confuse the congregant of the Imām’s postures by hearing or seeing through a glass window [or a screen] so long as both are not in two different places that severs their connection. Uniformity of place is fulfilled either by physical presence of the Imām and the congregants at the same site or with the uninterrupted rows. So for instance, if due to a large gathering, some of the congregants stretch out of the Masjid onto the streets but the rows remain connected between them and are aware of the Imām’s posture, then this is treated as uniformity of place implicitly.  In short, he says the two conditions namely; uniformity of place – whether being physically present in the same place or the connection of rows – and complete awareness of the Imām’s postures throughout the duration of Salāh are essential for the congregation to be valid.[11]

To cite some case examples for the sake of clarity, if someone stands on the roof of the Masjid or on their house [or even inside their own house] whose walls are attached to the Masjid then this does not invalidate the congregational prayer unless there is a significant gap as explained above.[12] Another case example is if both the Imām and the congregants are on the same ship or mount [or vehicle] stationed then the congregation is valid. If they are on two separate ships or mounts then it is invalid except when both are tied together or close enough that both touch each other. [13]

Apart from the Hanafi school, the Shafi’ī and Hanbali school also maintain the necessity of uniformity of the place. The Māliki school however, do not consider uniformity nor connection of the rows as necessary even if there is a distance of a pathway or a river so long as the congregants are able to ascertain the Imām’s position during Salāh whether visually or through hearing.  Jumu’ah prayer however is exceptional to this ruling as  uniformity of the place is essential according to them.[14] It must be noted that the non-obligation of uniformity in the Maliki school applies to instances where the Salāh is performed in a Masjid or a plain field only, but the issue concerning virtual Salāh is something that was rarely practiced nor allowed in their tradition.

In summary, due to the absence of the above conditions namely; uniformity of the place, disconnection between the Imām and congregants with roads and streets renders virtual Salāh as invalid. Knowledge of the Imām’s posture is also necessary and by praying behind the Imām virtually, although one can ascertain the Imām’s state, there is a high risk of the connection breaking through buffering which confuses the Imām’s state. This disconnects them from the Imām which also breaks their Salāh. Furthermore, with the likelihood chance of someone standing ahead of the Imām, this also breaks his/her Salāh. Lastly, as mentioned that allowing virtual Salāh to take place can lead to this practice being normalized among people especially the ill-learned ones as way of personal satisfaction. It is thus essential to follow the classical position by praying Salāh at home whether individually or collectively without the need of resorting to a minority position. A final point to add is that, the prohibition of virtual Salāh discussed within the context of the Jumu’ah and Tarawīh prayers equally extends to all other Salāhs including the Eid Salāh.

 

 [Allãh Knows Best]

 

 

Written and researched by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed

Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

JKN Fatawa Department

 

 

[1] See the links below who advocate the permissibility of Virtual Salah

https://aboutislam.net/muslim-issues/world/muslim-scholar-calls-for-temporary-virtual-jumuah-Tarawīh-prayers/

https://islam.ca/virtual-jumuah-and-Tarawīh-during-covid/

http://Tarawīhonline.com/

 

[2] Ibn Mawdūd al-Mūsili, Al-Ikhtiyar li ta’līl al-Mukhtār vol 1, p.69

[بَابُ صَلَاةِ التَّرَاوِيحِ]

وَالسُنَّةُ إِقَامَتُهَا بِجَمَاعَةٍ لَكِنْ عَلَى الْكِفَايَةِ، فَلَوْ تَرَكَهَا أَهْلُ مَسْجِدٍ أَسَاءُوا، وَإِنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنِ الْجَمَاعَةِ أَفْرَادٌ وَصَلَّوْا فِي مَنَازِلِهِمُ لَمْ يَكُونُوا مُسِيئِينَ.

 

[3] Muheetul Burhani vol 2 p. 63

وإنما قال أبو حنيفة، وأبو يوسف، ومحمد رحمهم الله: إن أصل الفرض الظهر؛ لأن أصل الفرض في حق كل أحد ما يتمكن من أدائه بنفسه، وهو إنما يتمكن من أداء الظهر بنفسه، إما ما يتمكن بأداء الجمعة، ولأنا لو جعلنا أصل الفرض الجمعة كان الظهر خلفاً عن الجمعة عند فواتها، وأربع ركعات لا تكون خلفاً عن ركعتين، ولأن الظهر كان مشروعاً في هذا الوقت قبل شروع الجمعة

[4] For an analytical discussion from the four schools read Dr Mansur Ali, Virtual Tarawih during Covid-19 Lockdown, 16/04/2020.

[5] Tawtawi wa maraqi vol 1, p. 290-1

“وتقدم الأمام بعقبه عن” عقب “المأموم” حتى لو تقدم أصابعه لطول قدمه لا يضر

“حتى لو تقدم أصابعه” أي المقتدي مع تأخر عقبه عن عقب الإمام لطول قدمه أي المقتدي لا يضر واعلم أن ما أفاده المصنف من إشتراط التقدم خلاف المذهب لأنه لو حاذاه صح الإقتداء والعبرة في المومي بالرأس حتى لو كان رأسه خلف رأس الإمام ورجلاه قدام رجليه صح وعلى العكس لا يصح كذا في الزاهدي وفي الدر يقف الواحد محاذيا أي مساويا باليمين إمامه على المذهب وأما الواحدة فتتأخر لا محالة ولا عبرة بالرأس بل بالقدم ولو صغيرا في الأصح ما لم يتقدم أكثر قدم

 

[6] Sunnan Abu Dawood No:665

 حَدَّثَنَا مُسْلِمُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ, حَدَّثَنَا أَبَانُ, عَنْ قَتَادَةَ, عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ, عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قَالَ: «رُصُّوا صُفُوفَكُمْ, وَقَارِبُوا بَيْنَهَا, وَحَاذُوا بِالأَعْنَاقِ, فَوَالَّذِى نَفْسِى بِيَدِهِ, إِنِّى لأَرَى الشَّيْطَانَ يَدْخُلُ مِنْ خَلَلِ الصَّفِّ كَأَنَّهَا الْحَذَفُ

 

[7] Badhlul Majhūd p.615 vol 3

(وقاربوا بينها) أي بين الصفوف، أي لا تفصلوا بين الصفوف فصلًا كثيرًا، وقد صرح الحنفية بشرطية اتحاد المكان لجواز الصلاة…

وأصله ما روي عن عمر موقوفًا ومرفوعًا أنه قال: “من كان بينه وبين الإِمام نهر أو طريق أو صف من النساء فلا صلاة له”، انتهى.

 

Mirqat Sharhul Mishkāt vol 3, p. 851, Awnul Ma’bood vol 2, p. 259

(وَقَارِبُوا بَيْنَهَا) أَيْ: بَيْنَ الصُّفُوفِ بِحَيْثُ لَا يَقَعُ بَيْنَ صَفَّيْنِ صَفٌّ آخَرُ، فَيَصِيرُ تَقَارُبُ أَشْبَاحِكُمْ سَبَبًا لِتَعَاضُدِ أَرْوَاحِكُمْ، وَلَا يَقْدِرُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ يَمُرَّ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيكُمْ، وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّ مَحَلَّهُ حَيْثُ لَا عُذْرَ كَحَرٍّ أَوْ بَرْدٍ شَدِيدٍ

 

[8] Ibid

[9] Kasān, Badā’i Sanāi, Kitāb al-Salah, vol 1 p. 145

(وَمِنْهَا) – اتِّحَادُ مَكَانِ الْإِمَامِ وَالْمَأْمُومِ، وَلِأَنَّ الِاقْتِدَاءَ يَقْتَضِي التَّبَعِيَّةَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ، وَالْمَكَانُ مِنْ لَوَازِمِ الصَّلَاةِ فَيَقْتَضِي التَّبَعِيَّةَ فِي الْمَكَانِ ضَرُورَةً، وَعِنْدَ اخْتِلَافِ الْمَكَانِ تَنْعَدِمُ التَّبَعِيَّةُ فِي الْمَكَانِ فَتَنْعَدِمُ التَّبَعِيَّةُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ لِانْعِدَامِ لَازِمِهَا؛ وَلِأَنَّ اخْتِلَافَ الْمَكَانِ يُوجِبُ خَفَاءَ حَالِ الْإِمَامِ عَلَى الْمُقْتَدِي فَتَتَعَذَّرُ عَلَيْهِ الْمُتَابَعَةُ الَّتِي هِيَ مَعْنَى الِاقْتِدَاءِ،

[10] Two rows distance is determined by how far the one vision reaches when looking at the Sajdah point during Salah.

 

[11] Tawtawi wa maraqi vol 1, p. 293

“وأن لا يفصل” بين الإمام والمأموم “نهر يمر فيه الزورق” في الصحيح والزورق نوع من السفن الصغار “ولا طريق تمر فيه العجلة” وليس فيه صفوف متصلة والمانع في الصلاة فاصل يسع فيه صفين على المفتى به “

“في الصحيح” أي هذا القول في الفرق بين النهر الصغير والكبير هو الصحيح وقيل الصغير ما تحصى شركاؤه وقيل ما يثبه القوي ويمنع النهر ولو كان في المسجد كالطريق كما في الدرر قوله: “تمر فيه العجلة” والمراد أن تكون صالحة لذلك لا مرورها بالفعل والعجلة بالتحريك آلة يجرها الثور والمراد بالطريق هو النافذ ذكره السيد

قوله: “وليس فيه صفوف متصلة” اعلم أنه إذا إتصل المصلون وقاموا في الطريق فإن قام واحد في عرض الطريق وإقتدى بالإمام جاز وكره أما الجواز فلأنه لم يبق بينه وبين الإمام طريق تمر فيه العجلة وأما الكراهة فللصلاة في ممر الناس فإن قام رجل خلف هذا المقتدي وراء الطريق وإقتدى بالإمام لا يصح لأن صلاة من قام على الطريق مكروهة مع كونه غير صف فصار في حق من خلفه كالعدم ولا يعد هذا إتصالا ولو كان على الطريق ثلاث جازت صلاة من خلفهم لأن الثلاث صف في بعض الروايات وعند إتصال الصفوف لا يكون الطريق حائلا ولو كان على الطريق إثنان فعلى قياس قول أبي يوسف تجوز صلاة من خلفهما لأنه جعل المثنى كالجمع وعلى قياس قول محمد لا تجوز

 

Durrul Mukhtār wa hashiyah Ibn Ābideen Shāmi, Kitābus Salāh, vol 1 p. 584-8

(ويمنع من الاقتداء) صف من النساء بلا حائل قدر ذراع أو ارتفاعهن قدر قامة الرجل مفتاح السعادة أو (طريق تجري فيه عجلة) آلة يجرها الثور (أو نهر تجري فيه السفن) ولو زورقا ولو في المسجد (أو خلاء) أي فضاء (في الصحراء) أو في مسجد كبير جدا كمسجد القدس (يسع صفين) فأكثر إلا إذا اتصلت الصفوف فيصح مطلقا، كأن قام في الطريق ثلاثة، وكذا اثنان عند الثاني لا واحد اتفاقا لأنه لكراهة صلاته صار وجوده. كعدمه في حق من خلفه. (والحائل لا يمنع) الاقتداء (إن لم يشتبه حال إمامه) بسماع أو رؤية ولو من باب مشبك يمنع الوصول في الأصح (ولم يختلف المكان) حقيقة كمسجد وبيت في الأصح قنية، ولا حكما عند اتصال الصفوف؛. 

(قوله أو طريق) أي نافذ أبو السعود عن شيخه ط. قلت: ويفهم ذلك من التعبير عنه في عدة كتب بالطريق العام. وفي التتارخانية:….

(قَوْلُهُ إلَّا إذَا اتَّصَلَتْ الصُّفُوفُ) الِاسْتِثْنَاءُ عَائِدٌ إلَى الطَّرِيقِ وَالنَّهْرِ دُونَ الْخَلَاءِ لِأَنَّ الصُّفُوفَ إذَا اتَّصَلَتْ فِي الصَّحْرَاءِ لَمْ يُوجَدْ الْخَلَاءُ تَأَمَّلْ، وَكَذَا لَوْ اصْطَفُّوا عَلَى طُولِ الطَّرِيقِ صَحَّ إذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ بَيْنَ الْإِمَامِ وَالْقَوْمِ مِقْدَارُ مَا تَمُرُّ فِيهِ الْعَجَلَةُ، وَكَذَا بَيْنَ كُلِّ صَفٍّ وَصَفٍّ كَمَا فِي الْخَانِيَّةِ وَغَيْرِهَا.

(قَوْلُهُ وَلَمْ يَخْتَلِفْ الْمَكَانُ) أَيْ مَكَانُ الْمُقْتَدِي وَالْإِمَامِ. وَحَاصِلُهُ أَنَّهُ اشْتَرَطَ عَدَمَ الِاشْتِبَاهِ وَعَدَمَ اخْتِلَافِ الْمَكَانِ، وَمَفْهُومُهُ أَنَّهُ لَوْ وُجِدَ كُلٌّ مِنْ الِاشْتِبَاهِ وَالِاخْتِلَافِ أَوْ أَحَدُهُمَا فَقَطْ مَنَعَ الِاقْتِدَاءَ، لَكِنْ الْمَنْعُ بِاخْتِلَافِ الْمَكَانِ فَقَطْ فِيهِ كَلَامٌ يَأْتِي

(قَوْلُهُ عِنْدَ اتِّصَالِ الصُّفُوفِ) أَيْ فِي الطَّرِيقِ أَوْ عَلَى جِسْرِ النَّهْرِ، فَإِنَّهُ مَعَ وُجُودِ النَّهْرِ أَوْ الطَّرِيقِ يَخْتَلِفُ الْمَكَانُ، وَعِنْدَ اتِّصَالِ الصُّفُوفِ يَصِيرُ الْمَكَانُ وَاحِدًا حُكْمًا فَلَا يَمْنَعُ كَمَا مَرّ

 

Kasān, Badā’i Sanāi, Kitāb al-Salah, vol 1 p. 145

وَلَوْ اقْتَدَى خَارِجَ الْمَسْجِدِ بِإِمَامٍ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ: إنْ كَانَتْ الصُّفُوفُ مُتَّصِلَةً جَازَ، وَإِلَّا فَلَا؛ لِأَنَّ ذَلِكَ الْمَوْضِعَ بِحُكْمِ اتِّصَالِ الصُّفُوفِ يَلْتَحِقُ بِالْمَسْجِدِ هَذَا إذَا كَانَ الْإِمَامُ يُصَلِّي فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، فَأَمَّا إذَا كَانَ يُصَلِّي فِي الصَّحْرَاءِ: فَإِنْ كَانَتْ الْفُرْجَةُ الَّتِي بَيْنَ الْإِمَامِ وَالْقَوْمِ قَدْرَ الصَّفَّيْنِ فَصَاعِدًا – لَا يَجُوزُ اقْتِدَاؤُهُمْ بِهِ؛ لِأَنَّ ذَلِكَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الطَّرِيقِ الْعَامِّ أَوْ النَّهْرِ الْعَظِيمِ فَيُوجِبُ اخْتِلَافَ الْمَكَانِ وَذُكِرَ فِي الْفَتَاوَى أَنَّهُ سُئِلَ أَبُو نَصْرٍ عَنْ إمَامٍ يُصَلِّي فِي فَلَاةٍ مِنْ الْأَرْضِ كَمْ مِقْدَارُ مَا بَيْنَهُمَا حَتَّى يَمْنَعَ صِحَّةَ الِاقْتِدَاءِ؟ قَالَ إذَا كَانَ مِقْدَارُ مَا لَا يُمْكِنُ أَنْ يَصْطَفَّ فِيهِ جَازَتْ صَلَاتُهُمْ، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: لَوْ صَلَّى فِي مُصَلَّى الْعِيدِ؟ قَالَ: حُكْمُهُ حُكْمُ الْمَسْجِدِ.

Also see Ibn Nujaym, Bahr Rāiq, Kitāb al-Salah Bāb al-Imamat, vol 1, p. 384-5,

 

[12] Manhatul Khaliq, commentary of Bahr Raiq, Ch. Imamat, Book of Salah, vol 1, p. 385

منحة الخالق شرح بحر ارائق

(قَوْلُهُ بِخِلَافِ مَا إذَا اقْتَدَى مِنْ سَطْحِ دَارِهِ إلَخْ) أَيْ لِأَنَّ بَيْنَ الْمَسْجِدِ وَبَيْنَ سَطْحِ دَارِهِ كَثِيرُ التَّخَلُّلِ فَصَارَ الْمَكَانُ مُخْتَلِفًا أَمَّا فِي الْبَيْتِ مَعَ الْمَسْجِدِ لَمْ يَتَخَلَّلْ إلَّا الْحَائِطُ وَلَمْ يَخْتَلِفْ الْمَكَانُ كَذَا فِي الدُّرَرِ إذْ لَا فَاصِلَ مِنْ طَرِيقٍ وَاسِعٍ أَوْ نَهْرٍ كَبِيرٍ كَذَا فِي شَرْحِ الدُّرَرِ لِلشَّيْخِ إسْمَاعِيلَ قَالَ فِي الشرنبلالية هَذَا خِلَافُ الصَّحِيحِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ ذَكَرَ مِثْلَهُ فِي مُخْتَصَرِ الظَّهِرِيَّةِ ثُمَّ قَالَ وَالصَّحِيحُ أَنَّهُ يَصِحُّ الِاقْتِدَاءُ نَصَّ عَلَيْهِ فِي بَابِ الْحَدَثِ. اهـ.

وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّ وَجْهَهُ أَنَّ السَّطْحَ لَا يَحْصُلُ بِهِ اخْتِلَافُ الْمَكَانِ فَلَا يُعَدُّ فَاصِلًا كَمَا لَوْ اقْتَدَى عَلَى سَطْحِ الْمَسْجِدِ أَوْ مِنْ بَيْتِهِ وَبَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْمَسْجِدِ حَائِطٌ وَلَمْ يَحْصُلْ اشْتِبَاهٌ.

وَالْحَاصِلُ أَنَّ اخْتِلَافَ الْمَكَانِ مَانِعٌ عِنْدَ الِاشْتِبَاهِ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَشْتَبِهْ لَا يَمْنَعُ وَلَا عِبْرَةَ بِالْوُصُولِ وَعَدَمِهِ، وَأَمَّا الْفَاصِلُ مِنْ طَرِيقٍ أَوْ نَهْرٍ أَوْ فَضَاءٍ فَإِنَّهُ مَانِعٌ وَلَوْ لَمْ يَشْتَبِهْ فَلْيُتَأَمَّلْ فِي الْفَرْقِ.

 

[13] Tawtawi wa maraqi vol 1 , p. 294

باب الإمامة

“و” يشترط “أن لا يكون الإمام راكبا والمقتدي راجلا” أو بالقلب “أو راكبا” دابة “غير دابة إمامه” لاختلاف المكان وإذا كان على دابة إمامه صح الاقتداء لاتحاد المكان “و” يشترط “أن لا يكون” المقتدي “في سفينة والإمام في” سفينة “أخرى غير مقترنة بها” لأنهما كالدابتين وإذا اقترنتا صح للاتحاد الحكمي

“أو راكبا دابة غير دابة إمامه” واستحسن محمد جواز الصلاة إذا قربت دابته من دابة الإمام قوله: “غير مقترنة بها” لأن تخلل ما بينهما بمنزلة النهر وذلك مانع وظاهر هذا التعليل أن الفاصل إذا كان قليلا لا يمنع لا سيما عند عدم الإشتباه وهم قد أطلقوا المنع قوله: “وإذا اقترنتا صح” وانظر هل المراد بالإقتران ربطهما بنحو حبل أو المماسة بينهما مدة الصلاة ولو من غير ربط والظاهر الثاني

 

Durrul Mukhtār wa hashiyah Ibn Ābideen Shāmi, Kitābus Salāh, vol 1 p. 550

باب الإمامة

(قوله واتحاد مكانهما) فلو اقتدى راجل براكب أو بالعكس أو راكب براكب دابة أخرى لم يصح لاختلاف المكان؛ فلو كانا على دابة واحدة صح لاتحاده كما في الإمداد، وسيأتي. وأما إذا كان بينها حائط فسيأتي أن المعتمد اعتبار الاشتباه لا اتحاد المكان، فيخرج بقوله وعلمه بانتقالاته، وسيأتي تحقيق هذه المسألة بما لا مزيد عليه

 

[14] Zuhayli, al-Fiqhul Islāmi wa adillatuhu, vol 2, p. 1247

اتحاد مكان صلاة الإمام والمقتدي برؤية أو سماع ولو بمبلِّغ، فلو اختلف مكانهما لم يصح الاقتداء، على تفصيل بين المذاهب. وهذا شرط عند الجمهور غير المالكية؛ لأن الاقتداء يقتضي التبعية في الصلاة، والمكان من لوازم الصلاة، فيقتضي التبعية في المكان ضرورة، وعند اختلاف المكان تنعدم التبعية في المكان، فتنعدم التبعية في الصلاة، لانعدام لازمها.

أما المالكية فقالوا: لا يشترط هذا الشرط، فاختلاف مكان الإمام والمأموم لا يمنع صحة الاقتداء، ووجود حائل من نهر أو طريق أو جدار لا يمنع الاقتداء، متى أمكن ضبط أفعال الإمام برؤية أو سماع، ولا يشترط إمكان التوصل إليه، إلا الجمعة، فلو صلى المأموم في بيت مجاور للمسجد مقتدياً بإمامه، فصلاته باطلة؛ لأن الجامع شرط في صحة الجمعة.

Tear-Trough Fillers; Permissible or Not?

jknfatawa1 Women

1st May 2020

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Question: Is tear-trough filler permissible for women? Does this fall under the category of changing one’s natural creation which Allāh has forbidden?

 

الجواب حامداً و مصلياً

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer: In reference to the above question, first understand that to add or cut a certain part of the body [through surgery] that changes one’s natural creation permanently for beautification purpose is known as tagh’yeer which is prohibited in Islām.[1] So anything that does not permanently change one’s natural features nor require an invasive surgical operation to enhance beauty is not tagh’yeer unless specified by the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam otherwise. It is permissible to perform trough filler treatment as this procedure does not permanently alter ones’ features which does not fall under the category of changing Allāh’s natural creation. The effects of the filler last for a short period of time and the treatment can continuously be performed if the aesthetic effects are desired. Furthermore, it follows a non-intrusive method – not requiring surgical operation.

Tear trough filler is a hyaluronic based filler used to lighten and brighten the area beneath the eyelid and above the cheeks, this area is known as the trough. The procedure usually lasts up to 30 mins in which local anaesthetic is administered to numb the area. The filler is injected to plump up the hollows of the trough, as overtime any remaining fat is broken down which causes deep hollows to appear beneath the eye, resulting in a more tired appearance, yet trough hollows can also be caused by genetics.[2] Mild bruising and swelling are common results after the filler has been injected but usually subside after a few days.[3] Fillers results last between 6-18 months and can easily be reversed as the hyaluronic acid filler is made up of sugar chains (gel-like consistency) which can easily be dissolved.[4]

Although tear trough filler is not Haram, one should consider the side effects and risk of the procedure as the filler is placed close to a sensitive area. Inserting excessive amounts of filler or inserting filler into an artery could cause debilitating effects such as tissue death and in the worst case blindness.[5] Therefore, if one does not feel the need for such a procedure then it is best to avoid. It must be remembered that the filler must not contain any impure ingredients otherwise that will make it impermissible.

 

 

[Allāh Knows Best]

 

 

Written by:  Apa Gul-e-Maryam        Reviewed by: Mufti Abdul Waheed

Attested by: Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

JKN Fatawa Department

 

[1] Sharah Sahih Bukhari Libn Battaal, باب:المتفلجات للحسن, Vol 9, Pg 167

قال الطبرى :فى هذا الحديث البيان عن رسول الله أنه لا يجوز لامرأة تغيير شىء من خلقها الذى خلقها الله عليه ،بزيادة فيه أو نقص منه التماس التحسن به لزوج أو غيره، لأن ذلك نقض منها خلقها إلى غير هيئته

 

[2] https://www.rupeshshahaesthetics.co.uk/pages/tear_trough_treatment_268954.cfm

 

[3] https://www.thevictoriancosmeticinstitute.com.au/detail/ns-tear-trough/

 

[4] Muheet Al Burhani, Kitab Istihsaan, Vol 5, Pg 373

.ثم جلد الميتة يطهر بالدباغ، فكذا عظمه يطهر باليبس، فيجوز الانتفاع به، فيجوز التداوي به وإنما لم يجز الانتفاع بعظم الخنزير والآدمي؛



[5] https://www.newidea.com.au/tear-trough-filler-benefits-risks-doctors

Performing Wudhu with Permeable Nail Polish

jknfatawa1 Women

1st May 2020

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Question: I came across a particular link claiming to provide water-permeable nail polishes for sisters so to allow women to perform wudhu with them on? Kindly inform me how authentic is this and whether wudhu will be complete wearing such nail polishes? I eagerly wait for your repose on this matter.

 

الجواب حامداً و مصلياً

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

In reference to the above query, the particular link which you are referring to states, ‘It’s permeability allows moisture and oxygen to make contact with the fingernails after you have applied nail polish.’[1]

The website bases its permissibility on two unobservable matters. Firstly, oxygen is a gas and therefore invisible and secondly, the moisture originally in a form of water when reaching the nail converts to vapour over the surface. Although water does permeate onto the nail surface, it is not in liquid form, i.e water droplets, which is necessary in order to fulfil the definition of washing. In order for wudhu to be complete, it is compulsory for water to reach the nail in its liquid form otherwise would be similar to masah hence not fulfilled.[2]

The impermissibility also includes a base, top or multiple layers of the nail polish. Therefore, this nail polish does not suffice for wudhu and must be removed regardless before making wudhu. [3]

 

Allah Knows Best

 

Written by:  Apa Gul-e-Maryam        Reviewed by: Mufti Abdul Waheed

Attested by: Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

JKN Fatawa Department

 

 

[1] https://www.lenanailpolish.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlq7El7aD3gIV3LXACh0E4gdMEAAYASAAEgJV0_D_BwE

[2] Kasāni, Badā’i Sanāi, Kitāb Taharat, Bāb Arkān Wudhu, vol 1,p. 3

فَلَا بُدَّ مِنْ مَعْرِفَةِ مَعْنَى الْغَسْلِ وَالْمَسْحِ فَالْغَسْلُ هُوَ إسَالَةُ الْمَائِعِ عَلَى الْمَحَلِّ، وَالْمَسْحُ هُوَ الْإِصَابَةُ، حَتَّى لَوْ غَسَلَ أَعْضَاءَ وُضُوئِهِ، وَلَمْ يُسِلْ الْمَاءَ، بِأَنْ اسْتَعْمَلَهُ مِثْلَ الدُّهْنِ، لَمْ يَجُزْ فِي ظَاهِرِ الرِّوَايَةِ.وَرُوِيَ عَنْ أَبِي يُوسُفَ أَنَّهُ يَجُوزُ وَعَلَى هَذَا قَالُوا: لَوْ تَوَضَّأَ بِالثَّلْجِ، وَلَمْ يَقْطُرْ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ لَا يَجُوزُ، وَلَوْ قَطَرَ قَطْرَتَانِ، أَوْ ثَلَاثٌ، جَازَ لِوُجُودِ الْإِسَالَةِ، وَسُئِلَ الْفَقِيهُ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ الْهِنْدُوَانِيُّ عَنْ التَّوَضُّؤِ بِالثَّلْجِ، فَقَالَ: ذَلِكَ مَسْحٌ، وَلَيْسَ بِغَسْلٍ، فَإِنْ عَالَجَهُ حَتَّى يَسِيلَ يَجُوزُ وَعَنْ خَلَفِ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: يَنْبَغِي لِلْمُتَوَضِّئِ فِي الشِّتَاءِ أَنْ يَبُلَّ أَعْضَاءَهُ شِبْهَ الدُّهْنِ، ثُمَّ يُسِيلَ الْمَاءَ عَلَيْهَا؛ لِأَنَّ الْمَاءَ يَتَجَافَى عَنْ الْأَعْضَاءِ فِي الشِّتَاءِ.

[3] Maraqi Al Falah, Fasl Fe Tamam Ahkam Wudhu, vol 1,p. 30-31

افترض أي” وجب بتغميضها العين بخارج ورمص وشمع” كعجين االجسد إلى يصل أن” الماء يمنع شيء أي غسل ما تحته بعد إزالته المانع

 

When Can you Pay Fidya instead of Fasting?

jknfatawa1 Fasting

28th April 2020

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Question: I have a question regarding fasting on behalf of someone.  They have an autoimmune disease and get Migraines, headaches, weak immune system which causes nausea, throwing up, eye-sight issues and just general unwell health out with Ramadhān but during fasting makes it worse. They have not managed to fast for a few years now due to the above symptoms and have not regained health to make them up during any other times of the year.  Therefore, they have accumulated a lot of qadha fasts. They are asking can they give fidya?  And if no why not as the parent feels, her child (although he’s 19) isn’t getting better and now has too many fasts that he will need to do qadha of.  He has always fasted enthusiastically so this is difficult on him to not fast but he just can’t manage to. 

الجواب حامداً و مصلياً

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer:

Thank you for your question. In reference to your query, generally Islām gives concession to an ill person not to fast during Ramadhān and to make up for these fasts later on as Qadha. The concession of paying fidya however, applies only when the ill person has a very strong indication confirmed by an experienced Muslim doctors that due to the acute and terminal illness, there is no hope of them recovering to their normal condition and as a result, not able to ever fast in the future. If there is hope of recovering or at least to a state where fasting is possible [be it in 10 years’ or so], then fidya will not suffice and instead, Qadha becomes necessary whenever possible. [1] The person in question must, therefore, judge according to this general rule and seek a professional Muslim Doctor’s advice.

If the law of fidya does apply to the person in question as descried above, then the amount of fidya is the same as sadaqutul fitr per fast which is half a saa’ of wheat or its monetary value. Half a saa’ is approximately 1.75kg.[2] Alternatively you can give the monetary value which is common nowadays. So, pay the amount equivalent to fitrana.

If hypothetically fidya was given and then the ill person eventually recovers be it after many years, then all of the past fidyas given will become nafil charity, and consequently all of the missed fasts must be kept.[3] It must be remembered that having many qadha fasts is not a valid excuse for paying fidya. Moreover, it is not necessary to observe the qadha fasts consecutively nor is there a particular time in the year one must keep the fasts. Instead, the Shariah allows the person to complete them at their convenience.

 

[Allāh Knows Best]

 

 

Written by:  Apa Sajeda          Reviewed by: Mufti Abdul Waheed

Attested by: Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

JKN Fatawa Department

 

 

[1] Kasani, Bada’ia Sana’ia, Kitab Alsawm, Vol 2, Pg 105.

وَأَمَّا وُجُوبُ الْفِدَاءِ: فَشَرْطُهُ الْعَجْزُ عَنْ الْقَضَاءِ عَجْزًا لَا تُرْجَى مَعَهُ الْقُدْرَةُ فِي جَمِيعِ عُمْرِهِ فَلَا يَجِبُ إلَّا عَلَى الشَّيْخِ الْفَانِي، وَلَا فِدَاءَ عَلَى الْمَرِيضِ وَالْمُسَافِرِ وَلَا عَلَى الْحَامِلِ وَالْمُرْضِعِ وَكُلِّ مَنْ يُفْطِرُ لِعُذْرٍ تُرْجَى مَعَهُ الْقُدْرَةُ لِفَقْدِ شَرْطِهِ وَهُوَ الْعَجْزُ الْمُسْتَدَامُ، وَهَذَا لِأَنَّ الْفِدَاءَ خَلَفٌ عَنْ الْقَضَاءِ، وَالْقُدْرَةُ عَلَى الْأَصْلِ تَمْنَعُ الْمَصِيرَ إلَى الْخَلَفِ كَمَا فِي سَائِرِ الْأَخْلَافِ مَعَ أُصُولِهَا،

Ibn Nujaym, Bahr Alrai’q, Kitab Alsawm, Vol 2, Pg 303

(قَوْلُهُ: لِمَنْ خَافَ زِيَادَةَ الْمَرَضِ الْفِطْرُ) لِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى {فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ} [البقرة: ١٨٤] فَإِنَّهُ أَبَاحَ الْفِطْرَ لِكُلِّ مَرِيضٍ لَكِنْ الْقَطْعُ بِأَنَّ شَرْعِيَّةَ الْفِطْرِ فِيهِ إنَّمَا هُوَ لِدَفْعِ الْحَرَجِ وَتَحَقُّقُ الْحَرَجِ مَنُوطٌ بِزِيَادَةِ الْمَرَضِ أَوْ إبْطَاءِ الْبُرْءِ أَوْ إفْسَادِ عُضْوٍ ثُمَّ مَعْرِفَةُ ذَلِكَ بِاجْتِهَادِ الْمَرِيضِ وَالِاجْتِهَادُ غَيْرُ مُجَرَّدِ الْوَهْمِ بَلْ هُوَ غَلَبَةُ الظَّنِّ عَنْ أَمَارَةٍ أَوْ تَجْرِبَةٍ أَوْ بِإِخْبَارِ طَبِيبٍ مُسْلِمٍ غَيْرِ ظَاهِرِ الْفِسْقِ

 

[2] Kasani, Bada’ia Sana’ia, Kitab Alsawm, Vol 2, Pg 103.

وَمِقْدَارُ الْفِدْيَةِ مِقْدَارُ صَدَقَةِ الْفِطْرِ، وَهُوَ أَنْ يُطْعِمَ عَنْ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ مِسْكِينًا مِقْدَارَ مَا يُطْعِمُ فِي صَدَقَةِ الْفِطْرِ.

 

[3]  Fatawa Hindiyya, Kitab Alsawm, Vol 1, Pg 207.

وَلَوْ قَدَرَ عَلَى الصِّيَامِ بَعْدَ مَا فَدَى بَطَلَ حُكْمُ الْفِدَاءِ الَّذِي فَدَاهُ حَتَّى يَجِبَ عَلَيْهِ الصَّوْمُ هَكَذَا فِي النِّهَايَةِ.

Kasani, Bada’ia Sana’ia, Kitab Alsawm, Vol 2, Pg 97.

فَإِنْ بَرِئَ الْمَرِيضُ أَوْ قَدِمَ الْمُسَافِرُ وَأَدْرَكَ مِنْ الْوَقْتِ بِقَدْرِ مَا فَاتَهُ يَلْزَمُهُ قَضَاءُ جَمِيعِ مَا أَدْرَكَ، لِأَنَّهُ قَدَرَ عَلَى الْقَضَاءِ لِزَوَالِ الْعُذْرِ،

 

Cutting Nails and Having Bath whilst Menstruating

jknfatawa1 Women

                                 27th April 2020

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Question:  Is it permissible to cut nails during haidh or is it disliked? Also is it permissible to take a bath in the state of haidh or should one wait till one finishes haidh.

 

الجواب حامداً و مصلياً

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer:

In reference to your query regarding cutting the nails and having a bath during haidh (period), there is no clear evidence that prohibits it. Based on the Juristic maxim; all things are permissible unless proven to be Haram through clear evidence,[1] so both are permissible and not disliked. It is only in the case of janabat (ritual impurity) do some scholars deem it disliked but not in the case of haidh.[2]

The impermissibility of having a bath during haidh (period) is a widespread misconception amongst many women. Islam advises to stay clean at all times and in the state of haidh (period) one should try to stay extra clean due to the constant flow of blood, hence having a bath would be advised rather than deterred from.

 

[Allāh Knows Best]

 

Written by:  Apa Sajeda          Reviewed by: Mufti Abdul Waheed

Attested by: Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam      

JKN Fatawa Department

 

 

[1] Ibn Nujaym, Al Ashbah Wanaza’ir.

الاصل فى الاشياء الاباحة

 

[2] Fatawa Hindiyya, Kitābul Karahiyyah, Bāb Fil Kithaan wal Khisaa…, vol 5 p. 358

حَلْقُ الشَّعْرِ حَالَةَ الْجَنَابَةِ مَكْرُوهٌ وَكَذَا قَصُّ الْأَظَافِيرِ كَذَا فِي الْغَرَائِبِ.

 

Can one Perform Tayammum Due to COVID-19?

jknfatawa1 Miscellaneous, Purity

  23rd April 2020

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Question: If an old man has been diagnosed with COVID-19 symptoms (along with suffering from several other illnesses) and was asked to isolate and not to come out of his room if there’s nobody there to give him water then can he perform tayammum instead?

الجواب حامداً و مصلياً

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer:

Thank you for your question. In reference to your query, COVID-19 itself is not a concession for tayammum but rather to do with whether water is accessible to the patient or not. If he is able to leave the room to for instance use the toilet, to shower or to wash his hands before and after eating, especially as we have been advised to wash our hands more often during this pandemic, and water is not proven to be harmful to him then he cannot perform tayammum. Performing wudhu becomes necessary especially times like this to helps us stay clean from dirt, germs etc.[1] It must be remembered that the purpose of isolation is so not to come in contact with people, not necessarily for not being able to use the bathroom or shower etc. They are allowed to relieve themselves and clean themselves generally, hence tayammum is not an option for them.

 

[Allāh Knows Best]

 

Written by:  Apa Sajeda        Reviewed by: Mufti Abdul Waheed

Attested by: Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam    

JKN Fatawa Department

 

[1]Fatawa Hindiyya. , Kitab Taharah, Baab Al-Tayyamum, Vol 1, Pg 28.

وَالْأَصْلُ أَنَّهُ مَتَى أَمْكَنَهُ اسْتِعْمَالُ الْمَاءِ مِنْ غَيْرِ لُحُوقِ ضَرَرٍ فِي نَفْسِهِ أَوْ مَالِهِ وَجَبَ اسْتِعْمَالُهُ

 

 Fatawa Hindiyya. , Kitab Taharah, Baab Al-Tayyamum, Vol 1, Pg 27.

(وَمِنْهَا عَدَمُ الْقُدْرَةِ عَلَى الْمَاءِ) يَجُوزُ التَّيَمُّمُ لِمَنْ كَانَ بَعِيدًا مِنْ الْمَاءِ مِيلًا هُوَ الْمُخْتَارُ فِي الْمِقْدَارِ سَوَاءٌ كَانَ خَارِجَ الْمِصْرِ أَوْ فِيهِ وَهُوَ الصَّحِيحُ وَسَوَاءٌ كَانَ مُسَافِرًا أَوْ مُقِيمًا. هَكَذَا فِي التَّبْيِينِ لَا يَجُوزُ التَّيَمُّمُ لِعَدَمِ الْمَاءِ فِي الْمِصْرِ وَكَذَا الْقُرَى الَّتِي لَا يُفَارِقُهَا أَهْلُهَا أَوْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ نَهَارًا وَذُكِرَ عَنْ السُّلَمِيُّ جَوَازُ ذَلِكَ وَالصَّحِيحُ عَدَمُ الْجَوَازِ وَالْخِلَافُ بَعْدَ الطَّلَبِ، وَأَمَّا قَبْلَهُ فَلَا يَجُوزُ إجْمَاعًا

 

Al-Haddadi, Al- Jawharatun Nayirah, Kitab Taharah, Baab Al-Tayyamum., Vol , Pg 21.وَفِيهِ إشَارَةٌ إلَى أَنَّهُ لَا يَجُوزُ التَّيَمُّمُ لِعَدَمِ الْمَاءِ فِي الْمِصْرِ سِوَى الْمَوَاضِعِ الْمُسْتَثْنَاةِ وَهِيَ ثَلَاثَةٌ: خَوْفُ فَوْتِ صَلَاةِ الْجِنَازَةِ أَوْ صَلَاةِ الْعِيدِ، أَوْ خَوْفِ الْجُنُبِ مِنْ الْبَرْدِ وَعَنْ السُّلَمِيِّ جَوَازُ ذَلِكَ وَالصَّحِيحُ عَدَمُ الْجَوَازِ؛ لِأَنَّ الْمِصْرَ لَا يَخْلُو عَنْ الْمَاءِ

 

Eligibility of Zakāt Due to COVID-19 Lockdown

jknfatawa1 Zakat & Charity

21st April 2020

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Question: Can a person send Zakāt money back home to someone in Pakistan who is unable to work and bring income to the home due to current coronavirus lockdown?

 

الجواب حامداً و مصلياً

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer

In reference to your query, due to the dire circumstances around the current pandemic and enforced lockdowns in such developing countries, such people would not be regarded as poor people[1] merely for not being able to leave their home to earn[2] and provide for their families provided if they have sufficient savings to get by whether in the form of cash, gold or any other investments. As such, they would not be eligible[3] to receive Zakāt money. If they, however, become impoverished whereby apart from losing their job, they have no savings or nothing to survive on to provide for themselves and family then they become eligible for Zakāt.

 

[Allāh Knows Best]

 

 Written by:  Maulana Anas Mullah        Reviewed by: Mufti Abdul Waheed

Attested by: Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

 JKN Fatawa Department

 

[1] Fatawa Hindiyya, Kitabuz Zakaat, Bab al Masarif, vol 1, p 187

(مِنْهَا الْفَقِيرُ) وَهُوَ مَنْ لَهُ أَدْنَى شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ مَا دُونَ النِّصَابِ أَوْ قَدْرُ نِصَابٍ غَيْرُ نَامٍ وَهُوَ مُسْتَغْرَقٌ فِي الْحَاجَةِ فَلَا يُخْرِجُهُ عَنْ الْفَقِيرِ مِلْكُ نُصُبٍ كَثِيرَةٍ غَيْرِ نَامِيَةٍ إذَا كَانَتْ مُسْتَغْرَقَةً بِالْحَاجَةِ كَذَا فِي فَتْحِ الْقَدِيرِ. التَّصَدُّقُ عَلَى الْفَقِيرِ الْعَالِمِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ التَّصَدُّقِ عَلَى الْجَاهِلِ كَذَا فِي الزَّاهِدِيِّ.

[2] Raddul Muhtaar, Kitabuz Zakaat, Bab al Masraf, vol 2, p 339

 أَيْ مَصْرِفِ الزَّكَاةِ وَالْعُشْرِ، وَأَمَّا خُمُسُ الْمَعْدِنِ فَمَصْرِفُهُ كَالْغَنَائِمِ (هُوَ فَقِيرٌ، وَهُوَ مَنْ لَهُ أَدْنَى شَيْءٍ) أَيْ دُونَ نِصَابٍ أَوْ قَدْرُ نِصَابٍ غَيْرِ نَامٍ مُسْتَغْرِقٍ فِي الْحَاجَةِ.(وَمِسْكِينٌ مَنْ لَا شَيْءَ لَهُ) عَلَى الْمَذْهَبِ، – لِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى {أَوْ مِسْكِينًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ} [البلد: ١٦]- وَآيَةُ السَّفِينَةِ لِلتَّرَحُّمِ

 

[3] Ibn Nujaym, Al Bahr al Raiq, Kitabuz Zakaat, vol 2, p 258

وَالْأَوْلَى أَنْ يُفَسَّرَ الْفَقِيرُ بِمَنْ لَهُ مَا دُونَ النِّصَابِ كَمَا فِي النُّقَايَةِ أَخْذًا مِنْ قَوْلِهِمْ يَجُوزُ دَفْعُ الزَّكَاةِ إلَى مَنْ يَمْلِكُ مَا دُونَ النِّصَابِ أَوْ قَدْرَ نِصَابٍ غَيْرِ تَامٍّ، وَهُوَ مُسْتَغْرِقٌ فِي الْحَاجَةِ، وَلَا خِلَافَ فِي أَنَّهُمَا صِنْفَانِ هُوَ الصَّحِيحُ؛

 

Subscribing to a Death Committee; Permissible or not?

jknfatawa1 Death (Janazah)
Subscribing to a Death Committee; Permissible or not?

20th April 2020

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Question: Death\Funeral committees which are run in many local Muslim communities. From a sharia perspective are they sharia compliant? Are they generally permissible in Islām?  From what I can gather is that each member pays a fixed amount each year say £100, after 1yr you can then make a claim to cover full funeral costs irrespective of whether one’s contributions were sufficient to cover the cost of a funeral.  Not sure of what happens to over payments. When contributing to such a committee who owns each contribution in the fund; is it the member or trustees? Is Zakaat payable if so who is liable each member or the trustees? How does this differ from standard insurance? Does any special intention have to be made at the outset by each member? If setting up a community death committee, what is one’s sharia obligations?

 

الجواب حامداً و مصلياً

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer

In reference to your query, for the sake of clarity, there are multiple Death Committees operating in the UK, each one functioning under specific conditions. The earliest Death Committee was founded around during the 1980s by a group of elders back home in Pakistan who recognised the need for generating funds to fulfil funeral expenses for the local villagers due to poverty. This concept was then transposed to the UK with some modifications of its terms and conditions over time. Many Masajids, funeral directories and local people connected with funeral services offer this scheme to their local people, each one operating differently from others with specific set of conditions. To address each of those conditions in light of its Islamic ruling is not possible lest it complicates the discussion unless the legal ruling of a specific clause from the condition is specified in the query. After obtaining information about its model and terms and conditions from websites, acquaintances who are members of the scheme and speaking to reliable funeral committees running the committee as well as scholars who have dealt with its legal stance, we conclude with the following answer.[1] To begin with, first understand the scheme itself. Death Committee was founded under the pretext of assisting the Muslim community to help cover all funeral costs at the time of someone’s death. It operates by people contributing funds on a yearly basis (or monthly charges by certain committees) in exchange of funeral services. Initially, an application form is filled out along with a joining fee payment as an initial subscription and then followed with a yearly payment of a fixed amount. The amount varies depending on the funeral costs as it tends to rise occasionally. Different committees charge different amount nevertheless, it averages between £30-£100 yearly. By paying the joining fee (varying between different committees) you become a member of this scheme which means that you are eligible to the benefits of the funeral package (which again varies between different committees). The annual contribution is paid by one member of the family. This single membership includes spouse and children below the age of 18. After reaching the age of 18, he or she is now responsible for renewing their own membership by paying the applicable fee. Anyone failing to pay the fee after its due date is issued a reminder and respite to pay the amount. Failing to pay will automatically remove them from the membership and all contributions made are non-refundable. In order to rejoin, a joining fee must be paid in addition to the yearly membership fee. In the advent of the death of a member, the next of kin or spouse continues with the existing membership without any additional charges. In the case when an individual remarries then they either continue with their existing membership or pay the new membership fee depending on the specific requirements set by the committee. All annual contributions are placed in a mutual pot that subsidises all funeral expenses. Occasionally, certain committees may request extra contributions from its members when they run short of funds. The operators of this scheme – trustees – set up a bank account and deposit all of the funds into it and take charge over these funds by discharging all funeral expenditures for its deceased beneficiary from this pot. The funding covers funeral directories, cemeteries costs, transportation if buried abroad including one person’s return ticket and in some cases catering costs. If a member dies abroad and buried there then a certain amount is paid to the family members to cover all local costs. Some committees cover repatriation costs as well whilst other may not necessarily cover it.

Most trustees, as some have informed me, do not take personal wages from the funds except that the initial joining fee is used to cover all admin costs. The information and as confirmed by the trustees, this contribution is not like a family kittee bank; a collective funding of savings by members to financially support each other and then reimbursed through monthly payments. Contrarily, the Death Committee, as some have mentioned to me, is a charitable contribution and not a loan-based system. Meaning that all members contribute as a form of charity to become recipients of all funeral benefits. This thus dismisses the question of underpayment or overpayment as all funds are treated as a charity contribution in return of funeral benefits for themselves, their families and for other contributing members.

The foregoing was a basic outline of the scheme across the board. They however differ in the details; each one operating with specific requirements and conditions dissimilar from the other. This being the dilemma, it is difficult to make a generic statement whether every committee comply fully with the Islamic ethical codes or not. Hence, all committees must be judged respectively by their own merit based on their terms and conditions.

In our understanding, no such model pre-existed our time during the prophetic time nor the generation of the companions or in the subsequent generation. Tracing such scheme in search of a similitude precedence from the Sunnah so to seek a clear legal stance is difficult, which means that this scheme is an unprecedented one. This scheme will therefore be judged according the general principles outlined in Islām. As far as the concept itself is concerned, it is not a reprehensible one but rather a beneficial concept for the welfare of Muslims. It in of itself concurs with the general Sharī῾ah objectives of Maslaha namely, public interest of procuring benefit and deferring harm. The rationale behind the Death Committee is to relieve individuals from the exorbitant costs of funeral expenses at the time of one’s death through a mutual funding in a pool affordable to everyone. The committee then uses the funds to cover all funeral costs. Essentially, to create ease for people and remove the financial constrains they inevitably incur. It can therefore be treated as a charitable contribution, as was pointed out earlier, with the aim of Muslims supporting one another. What is necessary is that the terms and conditions must not infringe the Islamic principles. It is to primarily serve the interest of the members and not the trustees themselves. No such clause should be included that lead to further harm for the members or entail any form of compulsion. For example, as a charity-based operation it is not permissible to fine members for delay in payment as this is force. It is however permissible to exclude members from the committee if they fail to make any further contributions. Likewise, no additional charges can be imposed on members like for instance, charging new members the overall costs of the past years as this goes against the principles of equity and fairness.

From the Sharī῾ah perspective, the Death Committee can represent somewhat a takaful or waqf model or alternatively a simple tabarru model.  A takaful or a waqf model means that all participants agree to pay a certain premium in a pool.[2] Each participant in return becomes a recipient of a type of cover they require for their personal circumstances – which in this case, funeral services. All risks are specified and all participants share the risks mutually. Takaful is a mutual co-operation system used as an alternative model to conventional insurance.[3] Albeit takaful and waqf operate differently, the end result is not much different. Whilst in the takaful model, the participants are considered the owners of the funds, the waqf model is somewhat a charity model where participants are not the owners but are the beneficiaries.  In the waqf model for instance, the operators can choose to invest in the money if need be to benefit the waqf funds only – e.g. to increase the funds to cover all funeral costs. The operators are not considered the owners of the waqf funding as a whole but act as guardians over it. They can however take a reasonable wage if necessary but only when the participants are aware of it and does not affect the waqf funding to cover funeral costs. [4] Each model requires a details discussion in respect to its application to the Death Committee with certain conditions which is beyond the scope of our answer. Suffice to say, it is important to remember that the participants are the primary beneficiaries and not the trustees. Should it be the case where the trustees use the funds to procure profit from it or based on a risk model whereby if during the year someone dies then they are paid out otherwise the operators take full possession over the funding pool, then this resembles conventional insurance that is prohibited. The primary distinction between insurance and the takaful/waqf model is that in the latter, the participants are the primary beneficiaries and (as in the takaful model) the owners of the funds, whereas in the former case – insurance – the company takes complete ownership over the funds for profit procurement and for private investors to invest in.

Another alternative model is a tabarru model which simply means charity. In other words, that members voluntarily contribute an amount to support one another to cover all expenses. In this model, there is no formal structure nor any conditions or a specific amount to be paid annually, unlike a waqf or takaful model that is structured with an agreed amount paid annually. It is merely to benefit people financially during urgent times. So, any Death Committee following either of these models whilst complying to their respective conditions makes it a valid scheme otherwise not.

The question of Zakāt on the funds depends on which respective model is adopted. If it resembles a takaful model then the participants are liable to pay Zakat on it as they are considered the owners. Other than that, in the tabarru’ or waqf model the participants are not liable to pay Zakāt on it as they do not own it. The trustees in this case however are encouraged to pay Zakāt on it so that it is not left without Zakat being paid on it although it is not essential as waqf and tabarru are both a form of charity in of themselves.

 

[Allãh Knows Best]

 

Written and researched by Mufti Abdul Waheed

Answer attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

JKN Fatawa Department

 

[1] See the following links for more information on Death Committee, [accessed 30th March 2020]

http://ilfordmosque.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Funeral-Membership-Form-with-Rules-and-Regulations-Dec-2014.pdf

http://bmf1.co.uk/thaqwa-funeral-committee/

http://www.crawleymosque.com/funeral-assurance-committee/

http://www.wasiyyah.co.uk/Death%20Committee.html

https://theislamicburialfoundation.com/funeral-services.php

Information was also obtained from personal interview with senior members for instance, Maulana Zaffar from Pakistan Muslim Welfare Society on Tue 7th April 2020 who have been running the service for 30 plus years with 100 plus members.

 

[2] Waqf is permitted in all moveable assets including Janaziz preparations.

Fatawa Hindiyyah, Kitāb al-Waqf, vol 2, p. 361

وَأَمَّا وَقْفُ الْمَنْقُولِ مَقْصُودًا فَإِنْ كَانَ كُرَاعًا أَوْ سِلَاحًا يَجُوزُ فِيمَا سِوَى ذَلِكَ إنْ كَانَ شَيْئًا لَمْ يَجْرِ التَّعَارُفُ بِوَقْفِهِ كَالثِّيَابِ وَالْحَيَوَانِ لَا يَجُوزُ عِنْدَنَا وَإِنْ كَانَ مُتَعَارَفًا كَالْفَأْسِ وَالْقُدُومِ وَالْجِنَازَةِ وَثِيَابِهَا وَمَا يُحْتَاجُ إلَيْهِ مِنْ الْأَوَانِي وَالْقُدُورِ فِي غَسْلِ الْمَوْتَى وَالْمَصَاحِفِ لِقِرَاءَةِ الْقُرْآنِ قَالَ أَبُو يُوسُفَ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى -: إنَّهُ لَا يَجُوزُ، وَقَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى -: يَجُوزُ، وَإِلَيْهِ ذَهَبَ عَامَّةُ الْمَشَايِخِ رَحِمَهُمْ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى مِنْهُمْ الْإِمَامُ السَّرَخْسِيُّ كَذَا فِي الْخُلَاصَةِ وَهُوَ الْمُخْتَارُ وَالْفَتْوَى عَلَى قَوْلِ مُحَمَّدٍ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى -، كَذَا قَالَ شَمْسُ الْأَئِمَّةِ الْحَلْوَانِيُّ كَذَا فِي مُخْتَارِ الْفَتَاوَى وَلَوْ جَعَلَ جِنَازَةً وَمُلَاءَةً وَمُغْتَسَلًا يُقَالُ بِالْفَارِسِيَّةِ حَوْضُ مَسِّينِ وَقْفًا فِي مَحِلِّهِ فَمَاتَ أَهْلُهَا كُلُّهُمْ لَا يُرَدُّ إلَى الْوَرَثَةِ بَلْ يُحْمَلُ إلَى مَكَان آخَرَ أَقْرَبَ إلَى هَذِهِ الْمَحَلَّةِ كَذَا فِي الْخُلَاصَةِ

Durrul Mukhtār wa hashiyah Ibn Ābideen Shāmi, Kitāb  al-waqf, vol 4 p. 340

(وَمَحَلُّهُ الْمَالُ الْمُتَقَوِّمُ)

[3] Institute of Islamic Banking and Insurance, https://www.islamic-banking.com/explore/islamic-finance/islamic-insurance-takaful, [accessed 30th March 2020]

 

[4] For more details on the Islamic waqf system, see Shaykh Khalid Sayfullah Rahmani, Qamūs al-Fiqh, Ch. Waqf, vol 5, pp. 293-309