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Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| 2Fatawa:Forbidden & Permissible/Fasting & Pregnanc |
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| amatullah |
| 08/21/03 at 23:28:28 |
| I thought these two were interesting and good to know. Adil Salahi, Saudi Arabia. [ Questions and comments can be e-mailed to Br. Salahi at: islam@arabnews.com ] Forbidden and Permissible: Q. Some people argue about certain detailed things and whether they are forbidden or not, such as shaving one’s beard or listening to music. They take a lot of time over such issues, when the Muslim community is threatened by outside enemies. They are oblivious to the external danger while they give such issues of detail undue importance. Please comment. M. Hamza A. We need to strike a balance between things that require attention. It is wrong to neglect matters of detail when we are addressing a major issue, in the same way as it is wrong to concentrate on details at the expense of major principles. For example, if an issue of detail that has no bearing on beliefs is likely to generate hard feelings and cause division, then the issue should be left aside. This is because the unity of the Muslim community is far more important than such an issue. Take the example of wearing a beard. Some scholars consider this to be obligatory to all men, while many others consider it to be a Sunnah, or a recommended practice. I am more inclined to the latter view, but even if we were to accept that it is obligatory, omitting such a duty would be a minor infringement. It should not be allowed to generate ill will among Muslims. Those of us who adopt this view may only advise those who neglect it, in a kindly and appropriate way, that such negligence is wrong. When they have done that, they would have completed their duty. Music is another issue over which divergent views are expressed. Perhaps it is more correct to say that music is permissible. But even if we were to take a more strict view of it, it would be wrong to give it much more importance than it deserves. Had it been a clear-cut issue, with no disagreement among scholars over it, no one is required to take physical action to enforce its ruling. It is more important to maintain the unity of the Muslim community. Fasting and Pregnancy: Q. What are the rules that apply to fasting when a woman is pregnant, particularly if she is advised that fasting may be too hard for her? Is it permissible for her not to fast in Ramadan? What should she do in this case? If she is required to give out something in compensation, could this be given to either one of her parents who are poor. R. Macawili A. There are different views concerning the fasting by a pregnant woman. However, all scholars agree that if she fears for her health or her baby, she may not fast. She will be required either to fast later, after the birth of her child, or to give compensation. The compensation alternative is preferred because it is easier for women, particularly if she breast-feeds her baby. By the time the next Ramadan comes, she would have had no chance of compensatory fasting. Hence, the other method of compensation could be the better option for her. For each day of non-fasting in Ramadan she should feed a poor person two meals of the average standard she has at home. If she does not fast the whole month, she could feed one poor person two meals for 30 days, or feed 30 poor people two meals each, or any permutation between these two alternatives. The poor person could not be her father or mother, because if she has the means, she is responsible for their living should they be unable to support themselves. No zakah, sadaqah or financial obligation is payable to one’s parents or children, because these are one’s dependents. If one pays to them, then he is paying it to himself. This is unacceptable. [5/22/2003] |
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