Worthless Luxuries.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was keen to illustrate to
his companions, and to Muslims in following generations,
the basic Islamic concept that attaches no importance to
the comforts, pleasures and luxuries of this world. He
always emphasized that life in this world is merely a test
and those who prove their understanding of the nature of
this test are the ones to pass it with honors and gain the
great prize reserved for those who are successful. Failure
in this test is the result of one’s own lack of effort.

A random incident or a readily understood image provided a
chance for the Prophet to re-emphasize this concept. In
Madinah,where the economy was agriculture-based, the
Prophet described the life of this world as the farming
that yields its fruit in the hereafter. This is an image
that is clearly understood by everyone who works in
agriculture, and its nature of hard work that for a long
while does not seem to be producing anything. A farmer
works hard for months on end, weeding, preparing the land,
plowing, cultivating the soil, seeding, adding fertilizers,
and ensuring irrigation at regular intervals. If you look
at his farm during the long winter months, you do not see a
promise of any yield. Yet without such work no harvest
would be forthcoming. The farm will be desolate, and the
people who rely on it for their living will be in a
miserable state of affairs.

Yet people find much enjoyment and are ready to sacrifice a
lot for the comforts of this life. They compete with one
another in pursuing the luxuries that give life a different
taste of enjoyment. The Prophet repeatedly emphasized that
such comforts are of little value, unless they are used to
improve one’s chances to pass the test we have to go
through in this life.

Jabir ibn Abdullah reports that the Prophet once went
through the market, entering from its upper side. People
were with him walking on his both sides. As he walked, he
saw a dead goat with its two ears cut off. He held it by
the remaining part of one ear and, addressing his
companions, he said: “Who of you would like to have this
for one dirham?” They said: “We do not like to have it for
anything whatsoever. What shall we do with it?” He asked
again: “Would you like to have it anyway?” They answered in
the negative. He repeated this last question three times.
They added in answer: “We would not like to have it at all!
Had it been alive, it would be of little value because of
his cut ears. How could it be worth anything when it is
dead?” The Prophet said: “By God, the whole of this world
is, in God’s sight, of lesser value than this is to you.”
(Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, Muslim and
Ahmad)

In his dialogue with his companions, the Prophet made sure
that everyone of them was clear in his mind that he would
not take that dead goat for the smallest amount of money.
When this was clear to all, he told them that, to God, the
entire world we live in is even more worthless. I suppose
that the description here is so graphic that the intended
message is most clearly understood.

Anyone who contemplates the message of this Hadith is
filled with wonder when he looks at how people strive hard
to get what they cherish and think most valuable in this
life. Yet, what they can get is only a fraction of what
this world offers. The entire wealth of the richest person
on earth is only a fraction of what this world contains,
and the most powerful ruler enjoys only a small portion of
the authority and power that our world exhibits. The same
applies to everything that people covet and desire. But if
we put this whole world together with all the wealth,
power, beauty and happiness it can provide to all its
inhabitants, it is worth practically nothing in God’s
sight. This is what we should remember when we wonder why
unbelievers may have power, riches, and life comforts. We
should not be surprised because we know that God may give
whatever people may desire in this life to both believers
and unbelievers, but He gives the happiness of the
hereafter only to believers.

It has to be said, however, that Islam does not advocate a
total rejection of life comforts. On the contrary, a Muslim
may enjoy these, provided that he acquires them in a
legitimate way. He must not seek to acquire a position of
arrogance as a result of having such comforts. On the
contrary, he should use them to show kindness to his
neighbors and to the poor in the community. If he does,
then these luxuries become a means of earning reward from
God.

One aspect Islam disapproves of and is indicative of values
that prevail in non-Islamic societies is that of treating
tribal or national allegiance as paramount. When a person
finds himself in difficulty or under pressure, he appeals
to his family, tribe or community for support. He expects
them to support him only because he belongs to them, not
because he suffers injustice or oppression. When such bonds
are made paramount,then Muslims must take the right stand,
and show their rejection of such bonds. “Once a man
appealed for support in the fashion of pre-Islamic days in
the presence of Ubayy ibn Kaab, and Ubayy immediately
abused him in clear terms. The people present looked at him
with disapproval. He said to them: ‘It seems that you
disapprove of what I said. I do not fear anyone at all. I
heard the Prophet as he said: Whoever appeals on the basis
of ignorant bonds should be abused in clear terms.’”
(Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, Ahmad and Ibn
Hibban)

What is significant in this Hadith is that it recommends
the use of clear abusive language, not merely indirect
disapproval. Such language may be thought contrary to the
values Islam advocates, which disapprove of express and
clear abuse. There is no contradiction between the two,
because the warning against the use of such language is
made in the case of people who do not deserve such abuse.
The situation to which this Hadith applies merits such
usage as part of the punishment for the one who resorts to
the values of ignorance. Indeed the Prophet disapproved
even when some people made an appeal for support invoking
ties much closer to Islam than tribal loyalties. In a
dispute between two Muslims, one called out to the
Muhajireen and the other to the Ansar for support. But the
Prophet told them: “Abandon such blind loyalty, for it
stinks.” Although the two men called out invoking an
Islamic loyalty, but it was akin to what the people of
ignorance in pre-Islamic days used to make. Hence, the
Prophet’s censure.

The Qur’anic Descriptions of Heaven and Misunderstandings.

Q.1. The Qur’anic descriptions of heaven include that men
will have maidens as spouses.Would women in heaven also
have men for their entertainment?

Q.2 Since God does not wish to overburden His servants,
what should be the timing of prayers in the case of a night
worker who needs to sleep during the day. Should he wake up
for every prayer?

A.1 What we need to understand is that the descriptions
given in the Qur’an are phrased in a way that we are able
to understand. Otherwise, the realm of heaven is totally
unlike our own. In reference to heaven, the Prophet(on whom
be blesssing and peace) says: “It includes what no eye has
ever seen,no ear ever heard of, and no human mind ever
thought of.” This Hadith tells us that what people destined
to heaven will have there is totally different from what
they have known in this present world of ours. Therefore,
we must not think of heaven in terms of what we experience
in this life, even though the favors and blessings
mentioned in the Qur’an as being reserved for the people of
heaven are stated in terms that we know and understand.
Therefore, they may be luxuries and blessings given names
we know but they are unlike what these names refer to in
this life. On the other hand, they may be of the same
nature that we know but unlike what we experience.

The Qur’anic descriptions of heaven state that its inmates
will have women companions whose beauty is outlined in
certain terms. Unlike what is often mentioned by people,
the Qur’an does not give any numbers of such companions and
it does not say that these will be wives. Nor does it ever
mention the pleasure of sex as one of the types of
enjoyment people will have. This is perfectly
understandable, because sex is closely associated with
procreation. The inmates of heaven do not procreate,
because this is an aspect associated with their life on
earth, not with their future life.

That they will have maiden companions is true, but what
sort of happiness such companions will give is something we
do not know. It could well be something that both men and
women enjoy in equal measure. Otherwise, if a married
couple go to heaven, they will be together there as man and
wife.

A.2 A person who has to work at night can determine the
time of his sleep in the most convenient way that enables
him to offer his prayers on time. We must not forget that
all Muslims have to offer the dawn, or Fajr, prayer before
sunrise, even though they might not have had more than a
couple of hours of sleep before it. They wake up, pray and
go back to sleep if they need to. The same could be said
for night workers and their daily prayers.

Wailing for Dead Person

Q. In a Hadith the Prophet (peace be upon him) says that a
dead person is tortured by his relatives’ wailing for him.
Aishah rejects this Hadith saying that no one suffers as a
result of the action of another. Please clarify.

A. What Aishah said is correct. No one will ever bear
responsibility for the action of another. This is divine
justice summed up in short statement in the Qur’an which is
repeated several times. Since a dead person has no say in
how his relatives conduct themselves after he has died, it
is impossible that God would hold him responsible for them.
What the Hadith means is that the dead person will be
informed by God of what his people do, and he is saddened
by their excessive grief, or their wailing.

This is the sort of torment that the Hadith refers to. It
is not a torment God inflicts on him as a result of their
action. To suggest so is contrary to divine justice.

Offering Pilgrimage and Other Responsibilities.

Q.1. People back home say that a person could only offer
the pilgrimage if he is free of duties and burdens. In
other words, he should have no responsibilities. May I ask
whether I could perform the pilgrimage while I am working
in Saudi Arabia.

Q.2. My wife is staying back home with her parents. She
says it is better for her, considering that my own family
home includes my parents and my brothers with their wives
and children. Is there any rule that says I should not keep
my wife in my family home?

A.1. What people mean when they say that a pilgrim should
have no responsibilities is that he should be able to cover
the expenses of his journey and what is needed for his
family’s living during his absence. Otherwise, there is no
one without any duty, burden or responsibility. Thus, a
person who wishes to perform the pilgrimage should have no
outstanding debts, unless his creditor agrees to defer the
debt repayment. He should leave his family enough money to
meet their needs. This means that when the pilgrimage
season arrives, you certainly can avail yourself of the
opportunity which your work in this country provides and
offer the pilgrimage.

A.2. There is no rigid rule that a man’s wife should stay
with his own family or with her parents when he is away on
his business. They choose what is best for them and more
comfortable for the wife and their children. In the
circumstances the reader mentions, it is certainly better
for his wife to stay with her parents, because she could
feel very lonely in his family’s home, where her
brothers-in-law have their wives while she is alone.
Moreover, close contacts with her husband’s brothers during
his absence is not to be encouraged.

A Widow’s Waiting Period

Q. When my husband’s colleague had a stroke, relatives and
friends kept his wife’s company, reading the Qur’an and
supplicating to God, until he died a few days later. May I
ask if there are any specific surahs or supplications to
say at such a time. May I further ask whether what we do in
India is correct. The widow remains in a room throughout
her waiting period, never leaving the house. She must wear
only white and remove all her jewelry. What is the Islamic
view of this?

A. If a person is ill and able to speak and give
instructions, he is reminded that he should seek God’s
forgiveness, repent of his sins, repay anything that he
owes to anyone, whether material or not, and write a will
if he has not done so. If he is dying, people could sit by
his bedside, trying to get him to say “There is no deity
other than God,” and make it the last thing he says. If the
person concerned speaks to request something, then he or
she should be told to say that sentence again. People
should not gather around him, or ask him to say anything
other than this simple sentence, making it the last thing
he utters. One of them should recite Surah 36, Ya Sin, and
the first surah, Al-Fatihah. People should ensure that he
is comfortable and give him little sips of water to wet his
lips and throat. When death becomes certain, he should be
turned toward the Qiblah, his eyes closed and his lower jaw
tied. People should request God to forgive him and he
should be prepared for burial as soon as possible, after
offering the prayer for the deceased, or janazah.

A woman may observe mourning for her husband for four
months and ten days, which is the length of her waiting
period. Unfortunately, in many societies women are put
under certain restrictions in this period, but these have
no Islamic basis. Islamic teachings make it clear that
during this period, the widow cannot marry another man, and
may not be asked to leave her husband’s home.

She is entitled to her living expenses. This is all right.
But in some societies, widows are subjected to severe
restrictions, such as those mentioned by the reader. It is
not true that a woman should not leave her home, or her
room throughout this period. A woman asked the Prophet
whether she could go to her farm during her waiting period,
so as to attend to her business.

The Prophet told her to go there, because “you may give
something to charity or do something good.” This means that
a working woman could attend to her work during her waiting
period.

A few women came to the Prophet and complained that they
were finding things difficult after the death of their
husbands. They asked whether they could stay together in
the home of one of them.

The Prophet said to them that they could meet during the
day “when you can discuss what you want, but in the
evening, each of you should go home where she should stay
the night.” So he allowed them to meet during the day, but
at night, each should be in her home. The advantage of
preventing gossip about her conduct is obvious. Needless to
say, the Prophet’s instruction means that a woman could not
initiate travel when she is in her waiting period.

The color of clothes is another restriction that has no
basis. In some countries black and grey are the colors
preferred for mourning, while in others it is white. This
is a social value that has no Islamic background.

Times When Prayer Is Discouraged

Q. When reading the Qur’an, there are verses which require
that a prostration, or sujood, should be performed. But
could this be done at the times when prayers are not
allowed? Could you explain when are these times?

A. There are certain periods when voluntary prayer is
discouraged. It is wrong to say that it is not allowed.
When we speak of something being discouraged, we mean that
it is better left out. These periods are: 1) after one has
prayed Fajr, or dawn prayer, until the sun has risen well
into the sky, i.e. about 25 minutes after sunrise; 2) after
one has prayed Asr, or mid-afternoon prayer until sunset;
and 3) when the sun is at its highest point in the sky,
i.e. a few minutes before Zuhr, or noon prayer becomes due.
This is due to the fact that the sun was worshipped by
certain communities. Therefore, Islam discourages prayer at
these times so that Islamic worship is not mistakenly
thought to have anything to do with the movement of the
sun.

What applies to voluntary prayers also applies to
prostration and the 14 verses where it is recommended. If
you are reading the Qur’an at these times and you come
across such a point, it is preferable not to do your
prostration, because of the restriction. Besides, doing the
prostration is a Sunnah, anyway.

Pleasing God and Fulfillment of Wishes

Q.1. What should we do to please God so that He would give
us what we hope to have:Good wives,bright children, sincere
friends,good employees and mates?

Q.2. When does zakah on income from rent become due, and
how to calculate it? Can we spend it on the education of
our employees’ children?

A.1. An important point in the Islamic concept of life and
religion is that we do not bargain with God, trying to do
things in order that our wishes or desires are fulfilled.
We have to remember that our whole world and all that it
contains is worth nothing in God’s sight. A sacred or Qudsi
Hadith quotes God as saying: “My servants! If the first of
you and the last of you, and the human among you and the
jinn among you were to gather together in one plane and
pray Me for whatever they want, and I give each one of them
everything they ask for, this will not decrease My Kingdom
except in as much as a needle takes out of the ocean when
dipped in it once.” Hence, God gives of the good things of
this world to believers and unbelievers alike. His gifts in
the life to come, however, are made only to those who
believe, and associate with Him no partners. Whatever He
gives us remains a form of a test, as this whole life is.
We have to redeem ourselves through this test.

When we realize this, we will know that the whole idea of
pleasing God in order to get our wishes is not really
Islamic. It is not like human relations whereby you do
someone a favor hoping that it will be returned. God needs
nothing from us. Even our worship does not benefit Him. It
benefits us, making us better people. However, we are
always in need of God’s grace. Therefore, we must pray Him
to grant us what we need. It is best that our prayers
should be preceded by a good action, so that when we pray
Him, we are humble, knowing our position in relation to
God. We can pray Him for whatever we need, and He will
answer. However, He chooses what is best for us. He either
answers our prayers as they are or gives us something
better, or else, He reserves it till the life to come when
He rewards us for our requests very generously that we
would wish He did not answer a single prayer we said in
this life.

A.2. Zakah is due on the net income of rented property,
after deducting all expenses incurred. The rent is added to
one’s zakah liability and zakah is paid out on a person’s
zakah date at the rate of 2.5 percent, unless he has monies
that bear a higher rate. You may pay your zakah to meet the
education expenses of a poor student, but the student or
his parents should qualify as zakah beneficiaries. It is
better to give your employees a decent wage so as to live
comfortably than to give them a small wage and then help
them with zakah funds.





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