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#1
5th November 2010, 15:35
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Allah swt Exalted An Orphan
Allah SWT, in HIS Infinite Wisdom, chose as HIS Final Messenger and Seal of the Prophets - Surah 33 Al-Ahzaab, Verse 40 - a man who had been orphaned as a child. Though the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) suffered the misfortune of having to endure life without a Mother and Father, this personal sadness made him an ideal candidate for the Office of Prophethood. His sensitivity, kindness, compassion and love for his family, freinds, companions and humankind were expressions and manifestations of the empathy he felt for all - irrespective of race, creed, status or nationality.
Surah 93 Ad-Duha, Verses 1-11 By the morning brightness, By the night, when it darkens. Your Lord has not forsaken you, nor is HE displeased. And the Hereafter is indeed better unto you than the present life. And soon shall your Lord give unto you so that you shall be well-pleased. Did HE not find you an orphan? So HE sheltered you. And HE found you wandering. So HE guided you. And HE found you destitute. So HE enriched you. Wherefore as to the orphan be not you overbearing to him; And as to the beggar, chide him not; And as to the favours of your Lord, discourse you thereof. The best method by which the Prophet's life-example is honoured and followed, is by conferring upon the orphans the special status and dignity which is their due: Surah 33 Al-Ahzaab, Verse 21 Assuredly there has been an excellent pattern for you in the Messenger of Allah, for him who hopes in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much. Al-Qur'an details the manner in which orphans are to be treated: this represents one of the greatest obligations conferred upon the Community of Believers - comprising the Jews, Christians and Muslims. Surah 2 Al-Baqarah, Verse 83 And recall when WE took a bond with the Children of Israel saying: "You shall not worship any god save Allah, and show kindness to your parents and also to your kindred and to the orphans and the needy, and speak kindly to mankind and establish prayer and give the poor-rate." Then you turned away, save a few of you, and you are back-sliders. Verse 177 Virtue is not in this that you turn your faces to the East and the West, but virtue is of him who believes in Allah and the Last Day and the Angels and the Book and the Prophet, and gives of his substance, for love of HIM, to kindred and orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and the beggars and for the freeing of slaves; and establishes prayer and gives the poor-rate and is of the performers of their promises when they have promised; and is of the patient in adversity and affliction and in time of violence; these are they who have proved true, and these are they who are conscious of Allah. Surah 4 An-Nisaa, Verse 36 And worship Allah, and do not join aught with HIM; and to parents show kindness and also to kinsmen and orphans and the needy and the near neighbour and the distant neighbour and the companion by your side and the wayfarer and those whom your right hands possess (ie., slaves) Verily Allah does not love the vainglorious and the boastful. Surah 76 Al-Insaan, Verse 8 And they feed, for love of HIM, with food the destitute, the orphan and the captive. Those who have been blessed - and tested - with wealth and sufficient means of sustenance, are Commanded to employ them for the good of their near of kin, orphans and wider society, so that all may gain benefits and attain the status of dignity - Surah 2 Al-Baqarah, Verse 215 They ask you as to how they will spend. Say: "Whatever you spend of wealth, let it be for parents and kindred and orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, and whatever good you do, surely Allah is Knower thereof. With especial reference to the rights of orphans in respect of their own property, as well as under the Laws of inheritance: and the duty of those entrusted with their affairs - Surah 2 Al-Baqarah, Verse 220 ..And they ask you of orphans. Say: "To set right affair for them is best. If you mix with them, then they are your brethren; Allah knows the foul-dealer from the fair-dealer. And had Allah so willed, HE could have afflicted you; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise. Surah 4 An-Nisaa, Verse 2 And give to the orphans their substance, and do not substitute the bad for the good, and do not devour their substance by adding it to your substance. Surely that is a great crime. Verse 6 And test the orphans till they attain the age of wedlock, then if you percieve in them a discretion, hand over to them their property and do not consume it extravagantly or hastily for fear that they may grow. And whoso is well-to-do, let him abstain, and whoso is needy let him take from it honourably. And when you hand over their property to them, call in witnesses in their presence and Allah suffices as a Reckoner. Surah 6 Al-An'aam, Verse 152 And do not approah the substance of an orphan save with what is best until he reaches maturity, and fill up the measure and balance with equity. WE burden not a soul except according to its capacity. And when you speak, be fair, even though it be against a kinsman: and fulfill the Covenant of Allah - 'AHD-ALLAH. In this wise HE enjoins you that perhaps you may be admonished. Surah 17 Al-Israa, Verse 34 And do not approach the substance of an orphan save with what is best, until he reaches the age of strength. And fulfil the Covenant; verily the Covenant shall be questioned. Surah 4 An-Nisaa, Verse 8 And when those of kin are present at the division and the orphans and the needy provide for them out of it, and speak to them a word of kindness. The disbursment of funds as well as its amount for the vulnerable and weak, including orphans, by governments and the relevant authorities acquired through just and lawful war has been clearly stated - Surah 8 Al-Anfaal, Verse 41 And know that whatever of the spoils you get then verily to Allah belongs one-fifth thereof and to the Messenger and to his kindred and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, if you have believed in Allah and what WE sent down upon OUR bondsmen on the Day of Distinction, the day when the two hosts met. And Allah is Potent over everything. Surah 59 Al-Hashr, Verse 7 Whatsoever Allah may restore to HIS Messenger from the people of the cities is due unto Allah and the Messenger and his kinsmen, and the orphans and the indigent and the wayfarer, so that it may not be confined to the rich among you. Take whatsoever the Messenger gives you, and refrain from whatsoever he forbids you. And fear Allah; verily Allah is Stern in chastizing. Those who mistreat, neglect, ignore or demean orphans and steal from them, have been categorically condemned - Surah 4 An-Nisaa, Verse 10 Verily those who devour the property of orphans wrongfully, only devour fire into their bellies, and soon they shall roast in the Blaze. Surah 89 Al-Fajr, Verses 16-20 And when his Lord tries him and stints unto him his provision, he says: "My Lord has despised me." No indeed! But you do not honour the orphan, nor urge upon each other the feeding of the poor, and you devour the inheritance greedily, and you love riches with exceeding love. Surah 90 Al-Balad, Verses 11-16 Yet he does not attempt the steep. And what shall make you understand what the steep is? It is freeing the slave, Or, feeding in a day of deprivation, An orphan of kin, Or a poor man, cleaving to the dust. Surah 107 Al-Ma'un, Verses 1-7 Have you seen him who denies the Requital? It is he who pushes away the orphan, And does not urge the feeding of the poor. So woe be to such performers of prayers, As are heedless of their prayers - They who would be seen; And who withhold even the common necessaries from others. The number of Verses in Al-Qur'an which deal with orphans reveals the supreme importance attaching to them, and how they have been given priority in terms of provision of sustenance, protection and preservation of their overall well-being. At some stage or other, most people lose their parents and become orphaned. The experience, however, in adulthood, cannot and should not be compared to that of children who have never known the love of one or both parents. As the world continues to engage in futile conflicts based upon race, creed and nationality - the number of refugees and orphans manifestly increases: they become face-less and nameless additions to the desperate plight of the weak and vulnerable. As wealthy as the Community of Believers are, in the collective sense, it is a terrible indictment upon them all that most of those orphaned through sectarian and nationalistic warfare are, in fact, Muslim. Trivial, frivolous, vain and mundane issues pre-occupy the minds of many who describe themselves as "believers" - verbal intellectual, spiritual and mental battles rage on (often descending into physical violence) about nothing in particular: history; about topics or subjects not mentioned in Al-Qur'an. These are great distractions from matters of huge significance: and undoubtedly, orphans are hugely significant members of communities and societies, and an integral part of humankind. They - as well as all minorities - constitute the real test for believers. Allah SWT Exalted an orphan to be HIS Last Messenger (pbuh), the carrier and conveyer of HIS Final Book. How orphans are treated by his followers surely determines whether or not they truly comprehend his Mission and understand his Message: and whether Allah SWT HIMSELF would confer upon them the honourary title of "Muslim". Translations from: "The Glorious Qur'an" by 'Abdul Majid Daryabadi nina syed www.jazaadeen.com Last edited by Jadz; 5th November 2010 at 15:37. 
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#2
5th November 2010, 18:32
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As-Salamu-Alay'kum Sister Nina,
Jazak'allah khair for another informative write-up that enlightens the bonds of trueness and sincerity. As displayed clearly above, Allah SWT commands His slaves who have been bestowed with the naimat of the love of kith and kin to be helpful and respectful in whatever way possible to those who are deprived of the respective. May Allah SWT grant us all the perception and intelligence to understand and adhere to the beautiful religion which encompasses equity to the highest standard. However, I would highly appreciate if the common mis-conception of adoption or kafa'la can be discussed in broad depth. The common practice in today's world is to adopt a child from an early age and associate his name with the family i.e. make him/her a part of the family. There is nothing wrong in bringing the child home and looking after him/her as it is a kind deed. However, the uncertainty concerns regarding the changing of the surname of an orphan from the original one to the sponsoring family's name i.e. changing of people's lineage. Adoption might be done for various reasons, one of which may include a family who have not been blessed with a boy, to adopt an orphan child and make him a member of the family by associating the family name after his name. While Islam definitely enjoins good behaviour and a sense of responsiblity towards orphans and the needy, Allah SWT also commands us in the Glorious Qur'an, not to associate the orphan as the mahram towards the sponsoring family. Allah has not made for any man two hearts in his (one) body: nor has He made your wives whom ye divorce by Zihar your mothers: nor has He made your adopted sons your sons. Such is (only) your (manner of) speech by your mouths. But Allah tells (you) the Truth, and He shows the (right) Way. (4) Call them by (the names) of their fathers: that is juster in the sight of Allah but if ye know not their father's (names, call them), your Brothers in faith, or your Mawlas. But there is no blame on you if ye make a mistake therein: (what counts is) the intention of your hearts: and Allah is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful. (5) Al-Ahzab [4-5] Translation from Yusuf Ali. There is a difference between supporting an orphan and adopting one in my humble opinion and while the former is undoubtedly an excellent deed in the sight of Allah SWT, the latter is what requires discussion and clarification. I have a few queries which include the fact that is it possible for a women to breast-feed the orphan child in order to make the child her own child? Even if that is not done, is it biologically correct if the family allows free-mixing of the orhpan boy (after attained the age of puberty) with the women of the house? My research in this field is not of the advanced level, hence there might be more to the matter than I originally understand. Nevertheless, this takes nothing away from the originial topic that the orphans and the needy should be treated with respect and should be cared for verily it is for the own benefit to the soul to please his Creator. May Allah SWT increase your knowledge and wisdom sister and sincere apologies if I have unintentionally quoted or written something which is not appropriate. Take care. Ma'asalaam
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#3
6th November 2010, 22:41
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'Alaykum As Salaam Brother Hassam,
Many thanks for taking the time to read this article, your response - as always - is very intelligent and insightful, Al Hamdu Li Llah. I appreciate your questions, thankyou for them. However, as my knowledge is very limited my answer may not be quite as comprehensive as you would like. I pray you will forbear with me, therefore. You are quite right: there is a definite distinction between supporting, fostering and adopting a child - 1) Support of an orphan may be in any form, for instance: through charitable donations - in which case, the relationship between donor and child may be quite impersonal. Support may also be in the emotional sense, of course this is only possible if the child is or becomes known to those who are offering their support. Because there are many charities dealing with orphaned and refugee children, it has become a great deal easier to "adopt" a child from a war-ravaged or poverty-stricken country by sending monetary donations - funds such as these are employed for the purposes of educating the child, enabling him or her to recieve health care and other necessaries of life. 2) Fostering a child is the prescribed and Divinely sanctioned method: the foster parents provide the love, care and security which the child needs, without making the child "their own" in the traditionally accepted sense of this expression. A child is a human being in its own right, with its own identity and personality: thus, whilst referring to a foster child as "my son" or "my daughter" as manifestations of affection has not been prohibited, these ought never to be taken or understood in the literal sense. If the child's antecedents are uncertain, then he or she becomes a part of the wider community and brotherhood - as Allah SWT Stated in the Ayah you mentioned. 3) As you have correctly stated, Muslims are not permitted to adopt a child in the sense generally understood and accepted in non-Muslim countries. The Ayah you quoted is very important, as it clearly lays the foundation upon which a child unrelated by blood may be brought within the fold of a family. We are not allowed to deny or deprive the child of his/her family name: this is related, not only to health issues (any pre-existing conditions peculiar to the family of the child) but also to an individual's right to know his or her antecedents; ie., tribal, national or racial attachments/affiliations. It has become something of a fashion or trend for celebrities to "adopt" a child from Africa or Asia. Whilst the intentions in such high-profile cases are doubtless praiseworthy, nevertheless taking a child out of its natural and normal environment, effectively shuts down that sense of belonging which all human beings either have or need. Such a person may grow up developing a feeling of rootlessness - without any history or any real human attachments. Language, culture, religion - or lack thereof - become, not personal, but imposed. Regarding a Mother feeding her foster child: in this case the child, upon attaining maturity, is not permitted to marry his or her foster brothers and sisters - Surah 4 An-Nisaa, Verse 23 Forbidden to you are your mothers, and your daughters, and your sisters, and your aunts paternal and maternal, and a brother's daughters, and a sister's daughters; and your milk-mothers, and your milk-sister's; and the mothers of your wives; and your step-daughters - who are your foster children - born of your wives with whom you have consummated your marriage; but if you have not consummated your marriage, you will incur no sin (by marrying their daughters) and (forbidden to you are) the spouses of the sons who have sprung from your loins; and (you are forbidden) to have two sisters (as your wives) at one and the same time - but what is past is past: for, behold, Allah is Much-Forgiving, a Dispenser of Grace. As Allah SWT does not burden human beings with more than they can bear, it follows - logically - that HE does not burden the community of which they are a part. Thus, providing for those in need is not just an individual responsibility, but a collective one. I find it sad that so much time is wasted discussing or following inane, nonsensical matters, when there are so many weighty problems confronting, not only this Ummah, but humanity as a whole: the massive number of orphans and refugees being a case in point (many of whom, tragically, are Muslim) I hope this has been of some help, In Sha Allah Ta'aala. If not, please let me know. Humble thanks for your kind wishes and prayers - may Allah SWT Reward you for your generosity and increase in you the Light of HIS Blessed Guidance and Grace. Ameen. Ma'Salaama Last edited by Jadz; 6th November 2010 at 22:46.
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#4
6th November 2010, 22:55
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Quote:
I follow your articles with great interest and always find myself more rewarded with knowledge after reading your posts than i had before. However, i have a slight problem with the part i bolded in your above post. I personally happen to know a (Muslim) sister who adopted a child in the earthquake that struck Pakistan in 2005. Since the region was completely and utterly destroyed at the time, would it still be fair to leave the child in that 'natural and normal environment' when here was this woman who felt a strong sense of maternal urge to adopt this baby when she saw him dumped by a collapsed roof? Had she chosen to abandon that child, where would he have found his roots or human attachments as you mention in your post above? The young boy now has a mother and is being rewarded with the blessings of education. When i meet him, i feel that he has more sense of his belongings now than he could have ever have found dumped as a 2 month old in the trash left behind by an earthquake. I am inclined to believe that other adopted children around the world are also being looked after better than they would otherwise be. So i am eager to know your views in light of these experiences. Allah knows best. Last edited by atif.raza; 6th November 2010 at 23:33.
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#5
6th November 2010, 23:33
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'Alaykum As Salaam Brother,
You are quite right, and many thanks for correcting me. Indeed, your Muslim sister has performed a noble deed worthy of respect and deserving of merit - may Allah SWT reward her and her foster child with abiding success always. Ameen. If I understand you, the Muslim sister is also originally Pakistani, please forgive me if I am wrong. In any case, in such a scenario there may not be the cultural, language and religious barriers for a child to overcome. It is eminently reasonable to evacuate people - including the young, old, infirm - from the scenes of natural or man-made catastrophes. To leave the vulnerable and weak in dangerous situations or life-threatening circumstances would be most irresponsible. In an ideal world, the relatives of orphans would assume responsibility for them, but often this is not possible. The passage which you have highlighted is referring to a different set of circumstances to the one narrated by you: here I am specifically referring to celebrities removing young children from their parents and/or relatives as well as their natural environment, bringing them to the West, and inculcating in them cultural values, instilling in them principles of belief which are completely alien to them. Such children, upon maturity, may experience a disconnect between themselves and peoples of their own back-ground. Allahu 'Alam. Thankyou and take care.
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#6
7th November 2010, 02:46
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Quote:
Yes, the sister was indeed Pakistani. I am (again) going to challenge some of the assumptions you made above. Please note that i am doing so only to enlighten my own religious knowledge and not to down play any of the points you raised. Please forgive me if i (unknowingly) contradict any of Islamic teachings below. First, that child might have been born to a hindu, christians or an ahmedi parents. He was an abandoned child with no labels attached to him at the spot where he was picked up so it's not correct to assume that there were no religious and cultural barriers to overcome. A new born baby has no cultural or religious background upon birth and inherits these traits from the family that raises him. I have lived most of my life outside Pakistan and when i visit my ancestral family back home, i can immediately feel how the values i was brought up with in my home are in stark contrast with the ones my family living in Pakistan have (For e.g. Woman of my house don't do Hijab while woman of my family in Pakistan do do hijab). However, that has never stopped me from complying with and respecting that environment and i don't feel great deal of disconnect with them. Humans generally do connect immediately with their roots and I'd like to believe that is common across all cultures and religions. I am raising the particular example of my friend as i have seen first hand how the society has harassed her and her family endlessly over this issue. Having spoken to an imam about it, he acknowledged that adoption even in this scenario of picking an abandoned child is haram. Unfortunately i have not been able to wrap my head around the reasons for this and so hasn't my friend. I'd be interested to hear your views on this.
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#7
7th November 2010, 14:46
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As-Salamu-Alaykum Brother Atif
I am by no means an expert on the topic, but just like every person, would like to contribute to the discussion from whatever limited knowledge and references I have. As the sister mentioned, Allah SWT commands us in numerous Ayats of the Glorious Qur'an to take care and responsiblity of the orphans and the needy. It is undeniably a very good deed in the sight of Allah SWT. Quoting Sheikh `Atiyyah Saqr, former head of Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee: "The kind of adoption, which is strongly recommended in Islam, includes that a person raises a boy or a girl and takes care of him or her as a real father or mother would do to their child, while keeping in mind that the child should be named after his/her biological parents. Islam urges people to follow such a trend in order to spare the homeless or orphan children the problems of vagrancy and lack of nurture. It is a kind of cooperation in that which is good and righteous." However, in Surah Al-Ahzab, Ayat 4, it is clearly mentioned to proclaim the orphan's real parentage, and if you do not know their fathers, then they are your brethren in the faith, and your clients. The aspect to note here is that this Ayat takes nothing away from grooming the child in the manner of one's own child. The only fact to be taken to notice is not to name the child after the family in order to preserve the real identity of the child and not denying his/her biological parents (whether known or unkonwn). I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge that the sister you have mentioned has certainly commited an excellent deed by raising the orphan child in the best possible manner. May Allah SWT reward the entire family with guidance and wisdom. Jazak'allah khairan.
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#8
7th November 2010, 14:52
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Thankyou for replying to my post sister. And I do hope you come up with more articles like these to increase the knowledge of people upon various matter in the light of the Glorious Qur'an. Take care.
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#9
7th November 2010, 15:10
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Thanks Jadz for the summary.....
I think that Muslims are spending far too much worrying about things that dont matter and not enough time on things like this..... I judge the importance of what Allah wanted us to do by the amount its emphasised in the Quran.... Caring and providing for orphans seems to be up there.... Its a shame that a thread about Beards.... results in over 200 posts.... yet something as important as this is bearly mentioned and considered by muslims these days.... Islam was ahead of its time in so many senses.... Rather than Orphans becoming possessions of their carers, Muslims were commanded to care for them as their own but respect them as part of the families that they were from..... You mentioned celebrities adopting childresn from other parts of the world... Now I dont know what their intentions were but on the face of it, I think they should be commended rather than criticised... (where they are taking care of orphans....) Who knows maybe this will compensate for some of their sins.... People are focussing so much on the 10% of Islam which is people disagree about... that they have forgotten how to think about and implement the 90% of Islam which clear for evryone to see... If people spent 90% of their time focussing on the most impirtant 90% of Islam and only 10% of their time on the 10% thats least important.... our Ummah would be 90% better....
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#10
7th November 2010, 21:39
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As Salaamu 'Alaykum Brother Atif,
I appreciate your response - thankyou. I am deeply saddened to hear that our Muslimah sister who fostered a child from the earthquake-stricken zone in Pakistan has experienced harrassment and endured hardships - she will surely be rewarded for all that she has suffered in this noble cause, In Sha Allah Ta'aala. I am also rather stunned to hear that an Imam declared adoption to be "haraam" Perhaps the best way of resolving the difficulties your Sister is confronting is to approach the relevant authorities, ie., those that deal with child-care issues. It seems to me that there is a degree of confusion between the terms "foster" and "adopt" If you refer to my earlier comments addressed to Hassam you will see that I have attempted to define the means by which support may be offered to an orphaned child. In Western countries adopting a child effectively means making him or her one's own - with family name attached. However, in Islam - as the Ayaah above make abundantly clear - whilst it is imperative for people/communities to care for orphaned children, it is not permitted to either conceal from them their original Father's name (if it is known) nor is it permitted to give them one's own family name. With respect, your statement that babies are born without culture and religious background is completely wrong - they do not fall from the skies or emerge from the earth. They have parents as well as relatives and all those natural bonds common to most human beings. They are rendered as orphans through a particular set of circumstances: for instance, through warfare, extreme poverty, death of one or both parents. Nevertheless, they have their own identities, their own history, their own attachments - all of which flow from the people to whom they were born, those to whom they are related by blood, and their natural environment. This is why it is extremely unjust to deliberately deny a child knowledge about his or her own real background. Here we must bear in mind that even though the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was an orphan - he was NOT without parents; they died but left an indelible print upon and within him. Thus, orphaned children are those who, by virtue of a series of unfortunate situations, do not have natural/biological parents to care for them - and also, perhaps, do not have relatives who they may be placed with. Orphaned children are human beings and not material possessions, they have rights under Islamic Law. It is of supreme importance to care and provide for them, but at the same time, they are entitled to maintain their real name (if it is known). The experiences you have narrated about your own personal history are not related to this discussion: we are specifically focusing upon orphaned children, their rights under Islamic Law, and the duty of care which is owed to them by the community of which he or she is a part. All other matters simply confuse the issue, which is why I am not addressing myself to that particular passage. Because we live in a complicated world, sometimes the manner in which we strive to implement Divine Commands may be more complex. Such is the nature of life: the nature of humanity. My principle aim in writing this article - at the kind request of Khan_Ji - is draw attention to the innumerable Ayaah which deal with orphans: as the title suggests, it is Allah SWT who chose, not a wealthy, powerful or influential man of means, but rather, HE chose as HIS Final Messenger a man who had been orphaned as a child. Thus, since the matter is of great importance in the Sight of Allah SWT, it must also be a matter of supreme importance for those who believe in and follow HIM. Last edited by Jadz; 7th November 2010 at 22:03.
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#11
7th November 2010, 22:00
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MR_KHAN_JI -
Thankyou Brother for your wise insights, Al Hamdu Li Llah. The reason Muslims love discussing unimportant matters - which find absolutely no mention in Al-Qur'an - is because it is easy. Iman and Ibaadat are made infinitely easier if all they entail is ritual worship. Ritual, tradition, custom, et. al. are great companions of those who regard such things as the determining factors in religion and faith. Wow! 200 or more comments for a thread about beards - the question is: is it or is it not the Sunnah of the Prophet? Do they remember that the Prophet was an orphan - that his Sunnah, his way is about the Message and Mission with which he was entrusted: it has nothing to do with trivial issues but is centred upon the esablishment of just societies? In any case, we must leave aside those who prioritize those matters which Allah SWT did not even mention in HIS Final Testament. The Message is more important than those who trivialize it: thus, orphans, the needy, the poor, the refugees deserve our respect by being given our undivided attention. As often as possible, we must remind our ownselves as well as our brethren - whether they care to listen or read or not - that implementation of Divine Ordinances is a must. The rest we must leave to our Bountiful and Beautiful Creator - Allah SWT Knows Best. Last edited by Jadz; 7th November 2010 at 22:05.
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#12
7th November 2010, 22:11
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As-Salamu-Alaykum Sister
Very insightful post, thanks. In your view is it o.k to sponsor an orphan, one that you may never meet in your life and can't make sure he/she is treated in the correct manner?
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#13
7th November 2010, 23:09
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Very well said sister. Indeed you make valid points and i agree with all of them. I am sorry for misreading your initial posts. I got slightly carried away by my own experience of seeing how Muslims feel for orphans as opposed to non-Muslims. But of course, i guess i have mostly spoken to and heard delusional Imam's who do not study or understand religion as closely as you do. I fear for all the minds that they will spoil with their false preaching for islam.
Thank you again for the insightful post. The world needs more Muslimahs like you. Keep up the good work
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#14
8th November 2010, 21:41
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Thankyou Brother Hassam for your intelligent contributions and insights - I am most grateful to you. Jazaaka Llahu Khayran.
KingKhan, 'Alaykum As Salaam Brother, Many thanks for reading through the article, Al Hamdu Li Llah. Regarding your question: it is best, and in accordance with wisdom, to properly research the processes by which support is offered to an orphan child. There are many excellent, recognized, long-established charities - both Muslim and non-Muslim - which provide great help in respect of sponsoring a child, or supporting him or her through regular donations. So contacting those charities which have experience and are constantly active in the field is probably the best. We do have a responsibility to ensure that the monies we send are spent in the correct manner, and children or adults who are sponsored are accorded the dignity which is their due. May Allah SWT increase in us all both the desire as well as means to help and support HIS suffering multitudes. Ameen. Thankyou Brother 'Atif for your insightful and wise contributions - Jazaaka Llahu Khayran. Please do not apologize - I found your comments very interesting, and gained much in the way of knowledge from them. Regarding your reference to Imams - many are very good and have great knowledge of the Deen of Islam: they are a great blessing from Allah SWT to the Ummah, Al Hamdu Li Llah. However, as we know, in Islam there is absolutely no religious heirarchy or authority such as exist in other world religions. Thus, there is no Imam/scholar or layman distinction. We are each held responsible for our own actions, judged in the light of our intentions. Unfortunately, over the course of time, Muslims have ceded responsibility for their iman and ibaadat to scholars. In other words, Muslims recieve guidance from imams and/or scholars: it is they who interpret and explain Islam. Thus, the Islam which is preached to the masses largely depends upon sect and school of thought. My advice to those who are able, and in positions of relative security, is to spend some of their time studying their Deen. Allah SWT is the Best of Teachers, and all guidance flows from HIM. We might bear in mind that Islam is not the exclusive preserve of scholars, anyone who wishes may engage upon study of Al-Qur'an. As I am still in the process of studying and learning, my knowledge is extremely limited: humble thanks for your kind words of support and encouragement. May Allah SWT increase in you, me and us all greater desire to be near to HIM, and thus grant to us broader, deeper and higher understanding of HIS Deen. Ameen.
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#15
8th November 2010, 22:58
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Jadz, how do you study religion? Arabic is not our first language so we will be largely studying the translations written by other scholars who no doubt would be inspired by their own school of thought and would thus interpret religion how they see fit. How do you then study an unbiased and uncontaminated version of deen as was narrated by our beloved Prophet?
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#16
9th November 2010, 22:01
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Atif, your question is a good one. Many Muslims - including Arabs - find Al-Qur'an difficult to understand. They employ translations, explanations and interpretations by scholars of the past and present to better understand Kalaam-Allah. Studying the books by the great scholars of Islam is a most worthy undertaking - because they contain knowledge and wisdom. Great minds applied themselves to Kitaab-Allah, and their works remain masterpieces.
However, as much as it is our duty to pay homage to the great scholars of this Ummah, and to thank Allah SWT for their great contributions in advancing the cause of knowledge, we must seek to study HIS Book ourselves - if it is possible to do so. The Final Testament of Allah SWT was revealed in the Arabic language as we know, we also know that HE Promised believers that it was "easy to remember and bear in mind" Since Allah SWT HIMSELF declares HIS Word to be easy to understand for those who wish to, it follows then that it must not be the hugely difficult task many Muslims either believe or have been led to believe. In other words, if there is a language barrier - as you have correctly stated - then that barrier must be removed. Learning Qur'anic Arabic is a big undertaking, but not an impossible one. The more one embarks upon seeking knowledge of the Deen of Islam, and this is without question centred, in the main, upon studying Al-Qur'an, the more Allah SWT opens up the ways and means of learning. I have been studying Al-Qur'an for a number of years, and am learning Qur'anic Arabic, which is my first and last love. Yes it is pretty tough: time consuming, energy absorbing, mind expanding - but it is worth every minute of it. I highly recommend this to you and to all those who love Allah SWT more than anything or anyone. Al Hamdu Li Llah.
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#17
9th November 2010, 22:07
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Thanks for your reply Jadz.
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#18
9th November 2010, 22:10
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Quote:
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#19
9th November 2010, 22:54
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Jadz, i also have a humble request and i will be extremely grateful if you can dedicate a new post to his.
A few years ago i was in Dubai preparing myself for Sehar in Ramadan. ARY QTV was something i use to listen to a lot with my mother during those days and i admit i learned a lot about our deen from the host of a particular tv show. However, one morning he stated something that i found to be extremely disturbing at the time. I asked my mother about it who was sitting right there and she shrugged my inquiry. I am sure she was stumped too but she chose to accept the word of Allah as told without question but my young curious mind could not help but question the legitimacy of that claim. I spoke and heard to a few imams about it later and most agreed with the tv host while a couple did not. I was however told that the ones who disagreed with this follow contaminated and fabricated Islam. It was Q&A talk show and one caller called to ask the host (who is well respected in Pakistan) - Can a Muslim married man marry another woman discreetly without telling it to his first wife - and the host replied "Bilkul. Zaroor. Aadmi ko haq hai woh apni marzi se jab bhi shaadi kare aur us ki biwi ko koi haq nahi hai rok ne ka. Agar biwi ikhtilaaf karti hai tau aadmi chup ke shaadi kar sakta hai and Allah usko sawaaab de ga" (In English: Absolutely. A man is entitled to marry as many woman as he wishes and is not obligated to ask his first wife. Should his first wife disagree then a man can discreetly marry another woman without having to reveal it to his first wife. He will be indeed blessed and rewarded for this in Paradise" If this is indeed the word of God, then i will accept it but it has not been easy for me to respect it with the explanations given to me. I hope you can shed some light on this Sister. JazakAllah kheir
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#20
10th November 2010, 21:39
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Atif - thankyou for your request, I am most humbled by it. The subject is a very interesting one, Al Hamdu Li Llah.
In Sha Allah Ta'aala, I will do my best to compose an article about marriage in Islam and issues related to it, such as you have mentioned: and will let you know as soon as it is complete. One thing that we might perhaps bear in mind: Islam is eminently reasonable as well as completely just, necessarily so since it originates with Allah SWT, Who is Al-Hakeem, The Most Wise, and Al-'Adl, The Most Just. Thus, if something sounds unreasonable or unjust and yet is claimed to be a part of the Deen, then that something requires proper investigation. And, as always, Allah SWT Knows Best - Al Hamdu Li Llah.
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#21
11th November 2010, 16:45
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Atif - a quick note to let you know that the article is complete and has been posted: the title is "Permission For Muslim Men To Marry Upto Four Women"
Please inform me of all errors and mistakes contained in the piece, and do correct me wherever you feel I am wrong. Thankyou.
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