Author: jknfatawa1

Women Reading Jumuah Salah

jknfatawa1 Women

1st November 2013

 

Question: What is the ruling on women reading Jumu’ah Salāh? More and more women are going to masjids to offer Jumu’ah Salāh. I have been asked by friends to join and attend every Friday as it is more rewarding. I have always understood that women receive a greater reward for performing Salāh in the home. I have also always understood that only men read Jumu’ah Salāh.

 

Answer

The Messenger of Allāh sallallahu alayhi wasallam is reported to have said, “Jumu’ah in congregation is mandatory upon every Muslim except four; slave, woman, minor child and an ill person.”[1] It is clear from this report that women are not obliged to attend the Jumu’ah Salāh. The reason being, as you have stated, that women receive a greater reward by performing their Ibādat such as Salāh in their own homes, thus not obliged to emerge from home to attend the congregational Jumu’ah Salāh. The home is the best Masjid for a woman has been reported from Sayyidah Umme Salamah (who reports) from the Messenger of Allāh sallallahu alayhi wasallam , “The best Masājid for women (in performing their worship) is the innermost part of their homes.”[2] This indicates that a woman receives a greater reward in her Ibādat performed at home than in her local Masjid, thus encouraged to perform their Salāh at home. However, if a woman attends the congregational Jumu’ah Salāh in her local Masjid then it is valid and will replace the Zuhr Salāh of that day.

 

 

[Allāh Knows Best]

 

Written by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed

Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

JKN Fatawa Department

 

 

[1] Sunnan Abu Dawood, No1067

عَنْ طَارِقِ بْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: ” الْجُمُعَةُ حَقٌّ وَاجِبٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ إِلَّا أَرْبَعَةً: عَبْدٌ مَمْلُوكٌ، أَوِ امْرَأَةٌ، أَوْ صَبِيٌّ، أَوْ مَرِيضٌ

[2] Sunnan al-Kubra Baihaqi, No: 5360, Musnad Ahmad, No:26542

عَنِ السَّائِبِ، مَوْلَى أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ:خَيْرُ مَسَاجِدِ النِّسَاءِ قَعْرُ بُيُوتِهِنَّ

Women dying Their Hair

jknfatawa1 Women

1st November 2013

 

Question: Are women allowed to dye their hair black or any other colour?

 

حامداً و مصلياً

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

 

Answer

Generally, to dye the hair and beard are permissible using any other colour apart from black. Sayyidunā Abū Hūrairah radhiyallahu anhu relates that the Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, “Change the white hair but do not imitate the Jews.” (Tirmizi)

It is recommended to dye the hair using henna because it is Sunnah. The noble companions would also use henna to dye their hair and beard. Black dye however, is prohibited. Sayyidunā Abdullāh Ibn Abbās radhiyallahu anhu relates that the Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam has said; “There shall come such people towards the end of time where they will colour their hair with black like (the colour of) a pigeon’s chest but they shall not scent the fragrance of paradise.” (Abu Dāwood)

Sayyidunā Jābir radhiyallahu anhu relates that during the conquest of Makkah Sayyidunā Abū Bakr’s radhiyallahu anhu father, Sayyidunā Abu Quhāfah radhiyallahu anhu, was brought before the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam whose hair and beard was completely white. The Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam on seeing him remarked, ‘Dye his hair and beard with any colour but abstain from black’ (Muslim).

The underlying reason for the prohibition of using black hair-dye for men and women was to deceive others – making old people appear young in front of others. This is unanimous amongst all of the scholars. However, if a person applies black hair-dye to adorn themselves to please their spouse then the scholars have differed in this regard; Some scholars have disallowed it even in the case of adornment for one’s spouse. They argue that the prohibition of black colour has a general implication and adornment also comes into the category of deception therefore still prohibited. Other scholars, such as Imam Abu Yusuf rahimahullah one of Imam Abu Hanifah’s rahimahullah prominent students, has permitted black hair-dye for adornment purpose (for their spouse) and argued that adornment does not come under the category of deception. (Fatawa Hindiyyah, vol 5, p439).

Due to the delicacy of this issue the most preferred judgement in this regard given by Shaykh Mufti Taqi Usmani Sahib (May Allah preserve him) is as follows;

“The preferred judgement in this regard is that if it is applied for adornment purpose where a woman applies it to please her husband or the husband applies it to please his wife then this is not considered Haram, but rather Makrooh-e-Tanzeehi (discouraged and best to refrain from). As for the Hadeeth but abstain from black the explanation of this ruling would be that if it (black hair-dye) is applied to deceive others then this ruling (of prohibition) becomes bounded. If it is for adornment purpose for each other’s spouse then this ruling is preferred (discouraged) and to abstain from it is better otherwise if someone (in the case of adornment for one’s spouse) applies it then it will not be considered Haram.” (Taqreer Tirmizi, vol 2, p354)

In conclusion with the exception of pure black dye, it would be permissible to dye the hair with any other colour. To apply black hair-dye with the purpose of deceiving others is prohibited. For adornment purposes, it is better to refrain from but not Haram otherwise. One must be cautious that when dying the hair with colour it must not contain any impure ingredients nor to apply it with the intention of imitating those of other faiths.

[Allāh Knows Best]

Written by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed

Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

JKN Fatawa Department

Backbiting

jknfatawa1 Miscellaneous

10th May 2013

 

Question:The sin of backbiting/slandering is well understood, my question is in what circumstances is it permissible to backbite/slander. Please provide detailed reply with examples.

 

الجواب حامداًَ و مصلياًَ

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

 

Answer

Before answering your question, it is necessary to explain what slandering and backbiting is as both are different from each other thus implying different injunctions. Backbiting is to converse about someone behind his/her back in the presence of someone else whereby the person about whom he or she has backbitten would be offended if he/she heard about the conversation even if what the person has said is true. If what the person has said behind his/her back is not true then that is known  as slandering. This is clear from the following Hadeeth;

Sayyidunā Abū Hurairah radhiyallahu anhu relates that that the Messenger of Allāh sallallahu alayhi wasallam once said, “Do you know what Gheebah (backbiting) is?” The said, “Allāh and His Messenger know best.” He said, “You relating about your brother that which he dislikes.” He was asked, “What if it is (true) about my brother of what I have said?” He said, “If it is in him of what you have said then you have backbitten about him, and if it is not in him of what you have said (i.e. not true about him) then you have slandered him.” (Muslim)

Slandering under any circumstances would not be permissible because what someone says about another person behind their backs is not true at all. Thus, it becomes false accusation. In regards to backbiting the classical scholars have enlisted stringent rules for it to be permissible. If any of those rules are not complied to then backbiting will not be permissible.

It is stated in Fatāwa Hindiyyah;

“If a man fasts and performs Salāh but harms people with his hands and tongue and mentions that which is in him then that will not be regarded as backbiting (for other to be warned). If he informs the Sultān (leader) in order to discipline him then there is no sin upon him.” (442/5)

 

Imām Ghazāli rahimahullah enlists six scenarios where backbiting is permitted;

1: To disclose someone’s faults by complaining to the judge or those in authority of him committing oppression or any unlawful act so that the judge or those in authority can discipline him. This is permissible only for the one who is the victim of the crime.

 

2: To disclose someone’s faults to a reliable person in order to seek his assistance to change the perpetrator’s evil habits so that he returns to the right path. The prime reason for mentioning his evil habits to that individual must be so that he could admonish the perpetrator and make him repent from his sins.

 

3: To disclose someone’s faults to a qualified jurist (Mufti) e.g. he says my father, my mother or my husband etc is oppressing me or is involved in such unlawful habits, in order to request for some legal advice or a legal verdict about such person. [In such circumstances it is preferable to say “What is the ruling regarding such and such person…” rather than specifying the name though it would still be permissible].

 

4: To disclose someone’s faults in order to warn others of his evil habits e.g. seeing a learned person being inclined towards evil habits or possessing heretical beliefs, thus not reliable. [This category was practiced by many great scholars of Hadeeth when doing a critical analysis of the chain of narrators in order to grade the ranks of Hadeeth accordingly and to ensure that the Hadeeth is transmitted through reputable source].

 

5: Someone is famously known by that natural defect therefore relating that to someone else e.g. A’mash (blear-eyed) was the name of a famous Hadeeth scholar etc.

 

6: Someone indulging in open sin therefore disclosing that to others e.g. Drinking alcohol, impinging on other people’s affairs, gathering people’s wealth unjustly (or stealing) etc. The Messenger of Allāh e said, “Whosoever takes off the veil of shame from his face then there is no backbiting against him.” (See Ihyā-Uloomud-Deen 140-142/3 for more details)

 

 

[Allãh Knows Best]

 

 

Written by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed

Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

JKN Fatawa Department

 

Menstruating Woman reciting Qur’an and Adhkar

jknfatawa1 Women

1st May 2013

 Question– a) A menstruating woman can’t recite the Qur’ān but some of the daily duas are in the Qur’ān e.g. ayatul qursi, 4 qul, driving dua can I read these for the purpose of Du’ā or would I need to break them up? 

  1. b) Should a menstruating woman do wudhu, sit in place of her Salāh and perform zikr so not to break the habit of Salāh times? Is it wrong to sit on a musala?
  2. c) Can a menstruating woman enter a masjid for the purpose of listening to bayāns?
  3. d) What is the best thing for a menstruating woman to read during the time she is not able to perform Salāh or read the Qur’ān?  

 

الجواب حامداً و مصلياً

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

 

  1. a) It is permissible for a menstruating woman to recite adhkār or some verses of the Holy Qur’ān without the intention recitation like the Mu’awwadhatain (Surah al-Falaq & Nās) for protection and so on.[1]
  2. sb) It is permissible and recommended by the scholars to do such thing. Purity is not essential in order to sit on the Musallah.[2]
  3. c) No, she cannot.[3]
  4. d) No specific Du’ā or Dhikr is prescribed. Rather to engage in reciting general Adhkār, Durood Shareef and so on.

 

[Allāh Knows Best]

 

 

Written by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed

Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

JKN Fatawa Department

 

[1] Durrul Mukhtar, Babul Haidh, pg 44

(وَلَا بَأْسَ) لِحَائِضٍ وَجُنُبٍ (بِقِرَاءَةِ أَدْعِيَةٍ وَمَسِّهَا وَحَمْلِهَا وَذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى، وَتَسْبِيحٍ) وَزِيَارَةِ قُبُورٍ، وَدُخُولِ مُصَلَّى عِيدٍ

 

[2] Fatawa Hindiyyah, Kitabul Taharat, Bab Dima al-Mukhtassati bin Nisa, vol 1 p.42

وَيُسْتَحَبُّ لِلْحَائِضِ إذَا دَخَلَ وَقْتُ الصَّلَاةِ أَنْ تَتَوَضَّأَ وَتَجْلِسَ عِنْدَ مَسْجِدِ بَيْتِهَا تُسَبِّحُ وَتُهَلِّلُ قَدْرَ مَا يُمْكِنُهَا أَدَاءَ الصَّلَاةِ لَوْ كَانَتْ طَاهِرَةً.

[3] Durrul Mukhtar, Babul Haidh, pg 44

(وَ) يَمْنَعُ حِلَّ (دُخُولِ مَسْجِدٍ)