The Prophet Never Tried to Impose His Message on Anyone. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala says in the Holy Quran: "I have not created Jinn and Mankind(for any other purpose)except to worship me"(51:56) Right from the start of his mission, the Prophet (peace be upon him) advocated Islam at every occasion, with all people,as long as they would listen to him. He never tried to impose his message on anyone, because he knew that Islam only accepts those who embrace it through conviction. There is no room in Islam for compulsion or coercion. The Prophet called on all people to believe in Islam. He would spend as much time as needed with an individual who was willing to listen to him. A new believer was an important gain, no matter how low was his standing in society, because class distinction is unacceptable in Islam. All people are equal and all are addressed by the Islamic message. Amr ibn Absah used to say of himself that at one point he constituted one quarter of the Muslim community. When he was asked to explain his claim, he said: “Prior to Islam, I used to feel that people were following erroneous beliefs and that the idols were nothing. I then heard of a man in Makkah who says things and mentions something strange. I mounted my she-camel and aimed to Makkah. “When I arrived I found that the Prophet was keeping a low profile and his people were hard on him. I started to gather information discreetly, then I went to him and asked: ‘What are you?’ He said: ‘I am God’s prophet.’ I asked: ‘What is God’s prophet?’ He said: ‘I am God’s Messenger.’ I asked: ‘Has God sent you?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ So I asked him: ‘With what message has He sent you?’ He said: ‘My message is that God is one with whom no partners can be associated, the idols must be destroyed and that the bond of kinship must be upheld with kindness.’ I asked him: ‘What following do you have?’ He said: ‘One free man and one slave.’ (It was apparently that Abu Bakr and Bilal were his followers.) I said: ‘I wish to be with you.’ He said: ‘You cannot do that today. It is better that you rejoin your people. When you hear that I have prevailed, you join me.’ “I went back to my people after I had embraced Islam. Then the Prophet immigrated to Madinah, and I was keen to hear his news. Some travelers from Yathrib arrived and I asked them about the Makkan man who settled with them. They said: ‘His people wanted to kill him, but they were prevented from doing so, and when we left, people were flocking to him.’ I traveled on my she-camel to Madinah. When I entered, I said: ‘Messenger of God! Do you know me?’ He said: ‘Yes. Are you not the man who came to me in Makkah?’ I asked him to teach me something of what God has taught him.” (Related by Ahmad, Muslim and Al-Tabarani). This is the case of a man who wanted to make his stand clear. According to commentators, his desire to follow the Prophet implied that he would declare his belief straightaway in Makkah. When the Prophet told him that he could not follow him then, he meant that he could not make a public stand, because there were only very few Muslims and he was not one of the people of Makkah. This meant that he would be target of abuse, and he may risk his life. Hence, he accepted Islam, but kept that secret and went to his people waiting for the Prophet’s signal so that he could join him. Another version of this Hadith gives some more details. It mentions that when the man asked about God’s message the Prophet was to deliver, he said: “That ties of kinship should be maintained, blood should not be shed, people’s roads should be safe, idols destroyed, and all worship should be devoted to God alone, without partners.” Amr said: “Fine is the message God has entrusted to you, and I want you to witness that I believe in you and accept your message. Shall I stay with you, or what do you think?” The Prophet said: “You will see that people are averse to what I am advocating. Stay with your people, and when you hear that I have immigrated, then come to me.” Another person the Prophet invited to Islam on his own in the early days of his message was Khalid ibn Saeed ibn Al-Aas, who was the first among his brothers to become a Muslim. It all started with a dream in which he saw himself standing by a huge fire, and that someone was trying to push him into it. (One version suggests that he saw his father pushing him toward it). But God’s Messenger held him by his robes so that he would not fall into it. He suddenly woke up, and thought: “By God, this is a true dream.” Khalid then met Abu Bakr and related his dream to him. Abu Bakr said: “This is to your good. Here is God’s Messenger. Follow him and be a Muslim with him, for Islam will protect you from falling into the fire, while your father is certain to be in it.” Khalid then met the Prophet at Ajyad in Makkah and asked him: “What are you inviting people to believe?” the Prophet said: “I call on you to believe in God as the only deity and who has no partners, and that Muhammad is God’s servant and messenger. You should abandon what you believe in now, worshipping idols of stone which neither hear nor see, cause neither harm nor benefit, and do not know who worship them and who does not.” Khalid declared: “I bear witness that there is no deity other than God and that you are God’s Messenger.” The Prophet was very pleased with that. Khalid stayed away from home, but his father heard of his embracing Islam. He sent for him until he was taken to him. He reproached Khalid severely, hitting him with a whip he held until it broke. He then said to Khalid: “By God! I will deprive you of food.” Khalid said: “If you deny me that, then God will provide for me what I need to live.” Khalid then went to the Prophet and stayed with him. (Related by Al-Bayhaqi and Al-Hakim). This is the case of a young man who responded to an indication and made sure of the new religion before taking a decision to adopt it. Once he realized that it was superior to everything he knew and that its message is the truth, he did not hesitate to believe in it, knowing that his father was very hostile to it. Other details suggest that his father abused him verbally in front of his brothers. He also threatened his other sons with similar fate if they followed Khalid’s suit and believed in Islam. Khalid was among the first Muslims to immigrate to Abyssinia(present day Ethiopia). Zakah and Proceeds of Investment. Q.1. An amount is invested with an Islamic bank where the returns are credited to the owner’s current account at regular intervals. These returns are immediately withdrawn and used for the family expense. What zakah is liable on such an investment? Q.2. Can I hold my zakah for a couple of years so that I use it to establish a health care unit for the poor in my hometown? A.1. According to scholars, the zakah due on your investment is taken from the proceeds. When your current account is credited with returns from your investment, you pay 10 percent of the returns in zakah, and this is due on receiving the returns, regardless of whether you spend them in a day or a week. The amount invested is not liable to zakah while the arrangement is continuing. A.2. You cannot hold your zakah for a couple of years. Zakah should be paid out as soon as possible after it becomes due. What you can do is to estimate your zakah for the next couple of years and add this amount to your zakah liability for this year, and pay for the health unit now. This means that you pay your zakah in advance for a couple of years in order to establish the health care unit for the poor in your area. Alternatively, you can get some of your friends to join in this effort and all of you pay your zakah into this project, establishing it as soon as possible after you pay in your zakah money. Investment and Zakah Q. I have invested money in a mutual fund, and paid zakah last year at the rate of 2.5 percent for the entire amount. Does the same apply this year and in subsequent years. A. Contemporary scholars have dealt with the situation where a person invests an amount of money in a scheme, which means that he leaves that amount for several years to generate an income or to improve in value. Where the investment generates an income, which is paid on annual basis or twice a year, or at other regular interval, zakah is due on the income he receives at the rate of 10 percent. The principal amount of investment is not liable to zakah as long as it is in such an investment. The zakah is due immediately after he receives the income. The late Shaikh Mustafa Al-Zarqa, a leading scholar of the twentieth century, states this in his Fatwas. Where the investment is held for growth, and the investor has access to it, then it is zakahable every year at the rate of 2.5 percent, at its value on the zakah date. Suppose you have invested Dalassi 100,000, and your investment gives you growth only, with no regular income, then you pay your zakah on the value of your investment every year, because this value changes, or increases, year after year. If the investment is tied up and you have no access to it for the term of investment, which could be 3, 5, or any number of years agreed, then you pay zakah on the total sum you receive at the end of the term, at the rate of 2.5 percent. Should a man listen to his wife’s suggestions and consult her about matters? Question : I wish to know something regarding the way women should be handled. I wish to know ARE MEN SUPPOSE TO TAKE ADVICE or SUGGESTIONS from women? I ask this question because I see that women advise and suggest from emotions and heart rather than their minds. I want to know to what level does a man listens to his wife?. Answer : Allaah says,enjoining kindness towards one's wife (interpretation of the meaning): “and live with them honourably” [al-Nisa’ 4:19] And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “And treat women with kindness, and treat women with kindness.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5186; Muslim, 1468. And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The best of you is the one who is best to his womenfolk, and I am the best of you to my womenfolk.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 3895; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3314. Undoubtedly consulting one's wife and listening to her advice and accepting it is part of living with them honourably and treating them with kindness. It softens her heart and makes her feel that she is playing a role in the family and that she is responsible for her family, especially if the man finds that his wife has wisdom and common sense, and has intuition, and she does not jump to conclusions or let herself be swayed by emotions. Moreover, the benefits to be gained by consulting one's wife and accepting her opinion, or not doing so, may vary according to the topic concerning which the wife is being consulted and asked for her opinion: is her emotional nature going to affect her view on this matter or not? It may also vary according to the nature of each of the spouses and how much wisdom and common sense each of them has. If the husband thinks that it makes sense to reject her opinion or he thinks that her view is mistaken, he has to be kind in the way in which he rejects her opinion or advice, and he should not accuse her of being silly or say that her opinion is worthless, and he should explain to her what is correct, as much as he can. Look at the story of al-Hudaybiyah and what happened there, then you will understand the value of consulting a wise and smart woman. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) made a treaty with Quraysh and agreed to go back, and not enter Makkah that year, he said to his companions: “Get up and offer your sacrifices.” But not a single man among them got up, until he had said that three times. When no one got up, he entered upon Umm Salamah and told her what had happened with the people. Umm Salamah said: “O Prophet of Allaah, is that what you want? Go out and do not speak a word to any one of them until you have slaughtered your sacrifice and called your barber to shave your head.” When he did that, they got up and offered their sacrifices. Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: This points to the virtue of consultation, and that it is permissible to consult a virtuous wife. Also think about the story of Moosa, and how Allaah caused him to be raised in the house of Pharaoh, and how much blessing there was in the advice of Aasiya, the wife of Pharaoh (may Allaah be pleased with her), of whom Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And the wife of Fir‘awn (Pharaoh) said: ‘A comfort of the eye for me and for you. Kill him not, perhaps he may be of benefit to us, or we may adopt him as a son.’ And they perceived not (the result of that)” [al-Qasas 28:9] In the same soorah there is the story of the two women at the well of Midyan, and how one of them said to her father (interpretation of the meaning): “ ‘O my father! Hire him! Verily, the best of men for you to hire is the strong, the trustworthy’” [al-Qasas 28:26] Look at how wise she was, and how she knew who was the best qualified to be hired and entrusted with work, and what a great blessing this advice brought to her family. And Allaah is the Source of strength. Question : Is it permissible to sell haraam things like pork to non-Muslims? Question : I work in a seaport and serve ships that are passing through. Most of these ships are foreign and the people working on them are non-Muslims. The company owner sells pork to these ships sometimes, then he distributes the profits of these sales to us employees and we accept it on the basis that selling pork to non-Muslims is not haraam, and there is no text in the Qur’aan or Sunnah that says that it is haraam to sell it to non-Muslims. And we cannot compare alcohol to pork because pork existed at the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and if he had wanted to forbid it and curse it he would have done so as he did with alcohol. But there are some people who made us doubt whether this money is halaal. Is it halaal or haraam? If we do not participate in the sale, will it not matter if we take these profits if the company owner gives them to us like an act of charity? Do we have the right to accept charity when we know its origin? Is there any hadeeth in which the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stated clearly and unequivocally that it is haraam to sell pork to non-Muslims? Because pork is not haraam for the People of the Book. Answer : Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: It is not permissible for anyone to issue fatwas concerning the religion of Allaah without knowledge. It is essential to understand the seriousness of doing that, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say (O Muhammad): (But) the things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are Al‑Fawaahish (great evil sins and every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse) whether committed openly or secretly, sins (of all kinds), unrighteous oppression, joining partners (in worship) with Allaah for which He has given no authority, and saying things about Allaah of which you have no knowledge” [al-‘Araaf 7:33] So it is not permissible for anyone to say, this is halaal and that is haraam, if he has no sound evidence to that effect. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And say not concerning that which your tongues put forth falsely: ‘This is lawful and this is forbidden,’ so as to invent lies against Allaah. Verily, those who invent lies against Allaah will never prosper” [al-Nahl 16:116] Secondly: Selling pork is haraam whether it is sold to a Muslim or Non-Muslim. The evidence for that is as follows: 1 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say (O Muhammad): I find not in that which has been revealed to me anything forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be Maytah (a dead animal) or blood poured forth (by slaughtering or the like), or the flesh of salcohol (pork); for that surely, is impure or impious (unlawful) meat (of an animal) which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allaah (or has been slaughtered for idols, or on which Allaah’s Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering” [al-An’aam 6:145] And the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught us an important principle when he said: “When Allaah forbids a thing, He (also) forbids its price.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3488; classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Ghaayat al-Maraam, 318. 2 – It was narrated from Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say when he was in Makkah at the time of the Conquest: “Allaah and His Messenger have forbidden the sale of alcohol, dead meat, pork and idols.” It was said: “O Messenger of Allaah, what do you think of the fat of dead animals, for ships are caulked with it and animal skins are daubed with it, and the people use it to light their lamps?” He said: “No, it is haraam.” Then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “May Allaah curse the Jews, for when Allaah forbade them (animal fat), they melted it down and sold it, and consumed its price.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1212; Muslim, 1581. Al-Nawawi said: With regard to dead meat, alcohol and pork, the Muslims are unanimously agreed that it is haraam to sell all of these. Al-Qaadi said: This hadeeth indicates that whatever we are forbidden to eat or make use of, we are also forbidden to sell, and it is not permissible to consume its price, as in the case of the animal fat mentioned in this hadeeth. Sharh Muslim, 11/8 Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali said, after quoting the ahaadeeth about the prohibition on alcohol: The conclusion we may draw from all these ahaadeeth is that whatever Allaah has forbidden us to make use of, it is also haraam to sell it and consume its price, as is stated clearly in the hadeeth: “When Allaah forbids a thing, He (also) forbids its price.” This is a general, comprehensive phrase which applies to everything which is intended to be used in haraam ways. These fall into two categories: (i) Things which are to be used and will remain as they are, such as idols. The purpose for which they are used is shirk or association of others with Allaah, which is the greatest of all sins. We may add to that books of shirk, witchcraft, innovation (bid’ah) and misguidance, forbidden images, forbidden means of entertainment and also buying slave women who will serve as singers. (ii) Things which are to be used and which will be used up. If in the majority of cases a thing is used for haraam purposes, then it is haraam to sell it. For example, it is haraam to sell pork, alcohol and dead meat even though they may – on rare occasions – be used for a permissible purpose, such as eating dead meat for those who are in extreme need, or using alcohol to stop oneself choking or to putt out a fire, or using pig hairs for beading, or making use of the hair and skin of a pig – according to those who approve of that. But because these are not the reason for which these things are produced, and the usual use for pigs and dead meat is to eat them, and the usual use for alcohol is to drink it, so no attention should be paid to these reasons, and it is haraam to sell these things. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) indicated this when it was said to him: “What do you think of the fat of dead animals, for ships are caulked with it and animal skins are daubed with it, and the people use it to light their lamps?” He said: “No, it is haraam.” Jaami’ al-‘Uloom wa’l-Hukam, 1/415, 416 The Standing Committee was asked: Is it permissible to deal in alcohol and pork if one is not selling them to a Muslim? They replied: It is not permissible to deal in foods and other things that Allaah has forbidden, such as alcohol and pork, even if one is selling them to Non-Muslims, because it is proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When Allaah forbids a thing, He also forbids its price.” And because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed alcohol, the one who drinks it, the one who sells it, the one who buys it, the one who carries it, the one to whom it is carried, the one who consumes its price, the one who squeezes (the grapes, etc) and the one for whom it is squeezed. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 13/49. Thirdly: With regard to the questioner saying, “selling pork to non-Muslims is not haraam, and there is no text in the Qur’aan or Sunnah that says that it is haraam to sell it to non-Muslims”, this is not correct. We have quoted above evidence from the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and have stated that the scholars are agreed that it is haraam to sell pork. The general meaning of the evidence indicates that it is haraam to sell it to Muslims and Non-muslims alike, because the evidence indicates that the prohibition on selling it is general in application, and no differentiation is made between Muslims and others. Indeed, if we were to say that what is meant by the prohibition on selling it is selling it to Non-Muslims, that would not be far-fetched, because the basic assumption concerning the Muslim is that he would never buy pork: what would he do with it when he knows that Allaah has forbidden it? Similarly, the questioner’s saying that “pork existed at the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and if he had wanted to forbid it and curse it he would have done so as he did with alcohol” is also not correct, because it is not essential for a thing to be forbidden that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) should have cursed the one who does it. Rather it is sufficient that he forbade it or stated that it is haraam, as he forbade the sale of pork. Fourthly: With regard to your taking this money, now that you know that it is haraam, it is more befiiting for you to refuse to take it, especially since your taking it is like giving approval to what the company owner is doing. You have to advise him, denounce what he is doing and exhort him to give up these haraam actions. Whoever gives up something for the sake of Allaah, Allaah will compensate him with something better than it. With regard to the money that you took before you found out that it is haraam, there is no sin on you, in sha Allah. Allaah says in the verses in which He forbids riba (usury, interest) (interpretation of the meaning): “So whosoever receives an admonition from his Lord and stops eating Ribaa, shall not be punished for the past; his case is for Allaah (to judge)” [al-Baqarah 2:275] We ask Allaah to granted you a halaal and blessed provision. And Allaah knows best. Islamic Network Present a One-Day Seminar Entitled: Trials and Tribulations. Topics: The Boy and the King:: The Explanation of Surah al-Buruj Muslims on Trial:: Lessons from History Speakers: Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips Abu 'Abdissalam LONDON Date: Sunday 1st August 2004 Time: 1pm to 5pm Venue: Regent's Park Mosque 146 Park Road London Contact: 07092 092 950 email: [log in to unmask] All Welcome FREE ADMISSION ____________________________________________________________ Does your mail provider give you a free online calendar? 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