Diz2rb09’s Weblog

There are many forms of Zina, but what we are addressing here is the highest form. This is adultery, fornication, having sexual intercourse without being married to the person.Allah (SWT)’s order in the Quran to stay away from Zina.

“And those who invoke not any other god along with Allah, nor kill such life as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse (zina) and whoever does this shall receive the punishment. The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace; except those who repent and believe and do righteous deeds, for those Allah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (al-Furqaan #25, ayat #68-70)“And come not near to unlawful sexual intercourse. Verily, it is a faahishah (a great sin) and an evil way.” (Sura Al-Israa # 17 ayah # 32)

Imaam al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The ulama said that the phrase And come not near to unlawful sexual intercourse is more eloquent than merely saying Do not commit zinaa, because the meaning is, Do not even come close to zinaa. This means not doing any deed that may get close to zinaa or lead to it, such as being alone with a member of the opposite sex, touching, looking, going to evil places, speaking in a haraam manner to a woman to whom one is not related, thinking about and planning immoral acts, and so on.

“Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from Zina illegal sexual acts, etc.). That is purer for them. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what they do.

“And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from Zina illegal sexual acts, etc.) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like palms of hands or one eye or both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer dress like veil, gloves, head-cover, apron, etc.), and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms, etc.) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband’s fathers, their sons, their husband’s sons, their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islam), or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful.” (Sura # 24, Ayat #30 and 31)

Hadith warning against not even coming close to Zina

“Some persons from Banu Hisham entered the house of Asma’ daughter of Umays when AbuBakr also entered (and she was at that time his wife). He (AbuBakr) saw it and disapproved of it and he made a mention of that to Allah’s Messenger (saaws) and said: I did not see but good only (in my wife). Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (saaws) said: Verily Allah has made her immune from all this. Then Allah’s Messenger (saaws) stood on the pulpit and said: After this day no man should enter the house of another person in his absence, but only when he is accompanied by one person or two persons.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari Book 25, Hadith # 5403)

“Abd-Allaah ibn Masood (RAA) said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (SAW), Which sin is worst in the sight of Allah? He said, To make any rival to Allah, when He has created you. I asked, Then what? He said, To kill your child for fear that he will eat with you. I asked, Then what? He said, To commit zinaa with the wife of your neighbour.” (Reported in Sahih Al-Bukhaari, Hadith #492 and In Shaih Muslim, Hadith #90).

“Rasulullah (SAW) explained: If one of you were to be stabbed in the head with a piece of iron it would be better for him than if he were to touch a woman whom it is not permissible for him to touch.” (Reported by al-Tabaraani; see also Saheeh al-Jaami, 5045).

This refers to the punishment for touching, so how about worse deeds, such as embracing and kissing, and even worse kinds of illicit activity?

Rasulullah (SAW) said, “Whenever a man is alone with a woman the Devil makes a third.” (Al-Tirmidhi 3118, Narrated Umar ibn al-Khattab, Tirmidhi transmitted it as authentic) note: So we should always try not to be alone with a woman who is not mahrum to us and not even go close to Zina.

Repentance from Zina

Ibn Abbaas (RAA) said: There is no major sin if one asks for forgiveness, and there is no minor sin if one persists in repeating it.

So if one wants to repent from having made the great sin of Zina he should remember these 4 things..

1) Do not despair, for Allah the Most Exalted and Glorified said in the Quran “Say: Oh my servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, for Allah forgives all sins; for He is oft-forgiving, most merciful.” [Surah 39, Verse 53]

2) Let your repentance be truly from your heart, and stay away from all sources of temptations. Also, perform many good deeds, as good deeds abrogate the bad ones.

3) If you repent to Allah, you are no longer described as a fornicator (zaani). Therefore, you can marry a chaste man or woman.

4) The believer has high hope and aspiration for the best from Allah. He not only asks Allah for making his punishment easy in hellfire, but he also prays to Allah the Almighty to save him from Hell and award him with paradise for his repentance and good deeds.

Question: An article appeared recently in the Times UK regarding capping the intake of muslim medical students due to their opposition of learning about abortion and venereal diseases. The article mentions:”Many of the students oppose abortion, while others have said that they would refuse to treat venereal diseases because they are a punishment for immorality.”A group of muslim medical students at Manchester University are trying to raise awareness about the misconceptions behind these views. I was hoping maybe you could provide a short statement about the permissibility of at least learning about abortions (due to their permissibility if the life of the mother is in danger) and also learning about and treating venereal diseases.

Answer:

Abortion and the termination of pregnancy is normally impermissible and contrary to the teachings of Shari’ah. However, it becomes permissible in certain compelling situations, as mentioned in detail in a recent post.

Similarly, to perform this act on another person is also unlawful, as what is unlawful for oneself will also be unlawful to perform on another.

Allah Most High says: “And help one another in virtue and piety and do not help one another in sin and oppression”(Surah al-Ma’idah).

However, to acquire knowledge regarding the practice of abortion is permissible, as there are circumstances when abortion becomes permissible. It is also perfectly lawful to learn about venereal diseases, and to say that they are a punishment for immorality is incorrect. One may repent from his/her sin and become beloved in the eyes of the Almighty. Also, it is not necessary that all venereal diseases occur due to sinning or immorality.

And Allah knows best.

Most Muslims are aware of and try to avoid the major sins in Islam – murder, suicide, adultery, alcohol, gambling, usury, etc.  Muslims are forbidden to harm themselves or others.  Yet millions of Muslims all over the world are doing just that – harming, even killing themselves and their families. Islamic scholars have historically had mixed views on the subject, and the actions of these Muslims have not been unanimously forbidden or even discouraged.The danger is tobacco use – cigarette and cigar smoking, chew, etc. The mixed views on the subject came about because cigarettes are a more recent invention and did not exist at the time of the revelation of the Qur’an in the 7th century A.D. Therefore, one cannot find a verse of Qur’an or words of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) saying clearly that “Cigarettee smoking is forbidden.”  However, there are many instances where the Qur’an gives us general guidelines, and calls upon us to use our reason and intelligence, and seek guidance from Allah about what is right and wrong. In the Qur’an, Allah says, “…he [the Prophet] commands them what is just, and forbids them what is evil; he allows them as lawful what is good, and prohibits them from what is bad…” (Surah al-Ar’af 7:157).  So what are the evils of tobacco use, for your health and for your deen (religion)?

1. Danger to your health

Allah says, “…make not your own hands contribute to your destruction…” (Surah al-Baqarah 2:195); “…nor kill yourselves…” (Surah al-Nisaa 4:29).  It is universally understood that cigarette smoking causes a number of health problems that often ultimately result in death.  Men who smoke contract lung cancer at 22 times the rate of non-smokers.  Smokers are also highly at risk for heart disease, emphysema, oral cancer, stroke, etc.  There are hundreds of poisonous and toxic ingredients in the cigarette itself that the smoker inhales straight into the lungs.  In an authentic hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that “Whomsoever drinks poison, thereby killing himself, will sip this poison forever and ever in the fire of Jahannum (Hell).”  Over 3 million people worldwide die from smoking-related causes each year.
2. Danger to your family’s health

In the Qur’an, Allah says: “Those who annoy believing men and women undeservedly bear on themselves a glaring sin” (Surat al-Ahzaab 33:58).  And the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that “there should be neither harming, nor reciprocating harm.” In another hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day should not hurt his neighbor.” Those around the smoker inhale what is known as “second-hand smoke” – the unfiltered, poisonous waste that goes in the air around the smoker.  There are over 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, over 40 of which are known to cause cancer.  Second-hand smoke causes or aggravates asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory problems, especially in children.
3. Addictive

The addiction to tobacco is a physical response that often interferes with one’s life and worship.  For example, most Muslims are aware that it is forbidden to smoke during the fasting days of Ramadan.  Many of these addicted smokers spend their fasting days sleeping, cranky, and short-tempered, just counting the hours until they can have their fix.  There have been times when the most severely addicted will wait outside the masjed door for the adhan, and break their fast by lighting up, before taking even food or water.
4. Noxious Smell

Muslims are advised to refrain from eating raw onions and garlic – simply as a courtesy to those around them.  Nobody likes the smell.  The same goes even more so for the reek of cigarettes, which permeates everything around the smoker – hair, clothing, home, car, etc.  The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:  “Whoever has eaten from such greens as garlic, onions or leek should keep away from our mosque.” Many smokers try to hide the smell by using breath mints or perfume.  This does not get rid of the smell, it only masks it.  Often the combination of smells is even more nauseating.
5. Waste of Money

Allah says, “…But spend not wastefully (your wealth) in the manner of a spendthrift. Verily spendthrifts are brothers of the devils...” {Surah al-Israa’ 17:26-27} And in an authentic hadith the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that: “Allah hates for you three things: gossiping, begging, and wasting money.” In the U.S. and other countries, cigarettes are taxed heavily in order to discourage this habit and reimburse the government for the overwhelming health care costs to care for those afflicted with diseases caused by smoking.  Smokers often spend thousands of dollars a year that literally just go up in smoke.

Recent Opinions of Scholars

In more recent times, as these dangers of tobacco use have come to be proven beyond any doubt, scholars have become more unanimous in pronouncing tobacco use clearly haram (forbidden) to believers. They now use the strongest terms to condemn this habit.
How to Quit?

As mentioned, one of the dangers of tobacco is that it is so addicting.   It causes a physical response in your body when you try to give it up.   Therefore, quitting is often difficult.  However, with the help of Allah and the personal commitment to improve yourself for the sake of Allah, and for your own health, it is possible.  It is first recommended to make the firm intention, from deep in your heart, to give up this evil habit.  Trust in Allah’s words: “…When you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allah.  For Allah loves those who put their trust in Him.  If Allah help you, none can overcome you; if He forsakes you, who is – after that – that can help you?  In Allah, then, let believers put their trust” (Surah Al-’lmran 3:159-160).

Secondly, one must avoid situations where you are used to smoking, and people who do so around you.  For example, if you have certain friends who gather together and they all constantly smoke – make a choice (Allah gave you free will to choose!) to stay away from that environment for the time being.  At a vulnerable stage, it is too easy to get sucked back in by having “just one.”  Remember, tobacco causes a physical addiction and you must stay away completely.  Drink a lot of water and keep yourself busy in other endeavors.  Go to the masjed.  Play sports.  And remember the words of Allah:  “And those who strive hard in Our Cause, We will certainly guide them to Our Paths, for verily Allah is with those who do right” (Surah al-Ankabut 29:69).

For more information about the proven dangers of smoking, and advice on how to quit, visit About.com’s Smoking Cessation website.

Living With a Smoker

If you live with or are friends with smokers, first of all encourage them to quit, for the sake of Allah, their deen, and their health.  If they refuse (and ultimately we will face Allah alone), you have the right to protect your own health and the health of your children.  Do not allow it in the house.  Do not allow it in enclosed quarters with your family.  Even if the smoker is a parent, we are not to obey our parents in things which are forbidden by Allah.

More Information

For a comprehensive look at smoking in Islam – the history, the rulings, and a full explanation with citations from Islamic resources, the best online article is Smoking: A Social Poison by Muhammad al-Jibaly.

“Khamr is what befogs the mind.” These are the words spoken by ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab from the pulpit of the Prophet (peace be on him), providing us with a decisive criterion for defining what falls under the prohibited category of khamr. There remains then no room for doubts and questions: any substance which has the effect of befogging or clouding the mind, impairing its faculties of thought, perception, and discernment is prohibited by Allah and His Messenger (peace be on him) until the Day of Resurrection.Drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, opium, and the like are definitely included in the prohibited category of khamr. It is well known that the use of such drugs affects the sensory perceptions, making what is near seem distant and what is distant seem near; that their use produces illusions and hallucinations, so that the real seems to disappear and what is imaginary appears to be real; and that drug usage in general impairs the faculty of reasoning and decision-making. Such drugs are taken as a means of escape from the inner reality of one’s feelings and the outer realities of life and religion into the realm of fantasy and imagination. Added to this psychological fact are the physical effects: bodily lassitude, dullness of the nerves, and decline in overall health.

The moral consequences, moral insensitivity, weakening of the will-power, and neglect of responsibilities are also well known. Eventually, addiction to drugs renders a person a diseased member of society. Furthermore, drug addiction may result in the destruction of the family or even in a life of crime. Since obtaining drugs involves a great outlay of money, a drug addict may well deprive his family of necessities in order to buy drugs and may resort to illegal means to pay for them.

When we recall the principle that impure and harmful things have been made haram, there can be no doubt in our minds concerning the prohibition of such detestable substances such as drugs, which cause so much physical, psychological, moral, social and economic harm.

The Muslim jurists were unanimous in prohibiting those drugs which were found during their respective times and places. Foremost among them was Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, who said, This solid grass (hashish) is haram, whether or not it    produces intoxication. Sinful people smoke it because they find it produces rapture and delight, an effect similar to drunkenness. While wine makes the one who drinks it active and quarrelsome, hashish produces dullness and lethargy; furthermore, smoking it disturbs the mind and temperament, excites sexual desire, and leads to shameless promiscuity, and these are greater evils than those caused by drinking. The use of it has spread among the people after the coming of the Tartars. The hadd punishment (The Qur’an specifies the punishments for certain crimes, such as lashing for drinking wine   and equal retaliation or compensation in the case of murder or injuries. These punishments are called hadd (plural, hudud), meaning “the limit set by Allah.” (Trans.)) for smoking hashish, whether a small or large amount of it, is the same as that for   drinking wine, that is, eighty or forty lashes.

He explained the imposition of hadd for smoking hashish in the following manner: It is the rule of the Islamic Shari’ah that any  prohibited thing which is desired by people, such as wine and illicit sexual relations, is to be punished by imposing hadd, while the violation of a prohibited thing which is not desired, such as (eating) the flesh of a dead animal, calls for ta’zir. (For crimes concerning which no specified punishment is mentioned in the Qur’an or Ahadith, the Muslim government may introduce its own punishments, such as fines or imprisonment. Such a punishment is called ta’zir. (Trans.)) Now hashish is something which is desired, and it is hard for the addict to renounce it Accordingly, the application of the texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah to hashish is similar to that of wine. (Fatawa Ibn Taymiyyah, vol. 4, p. 262 f. Also see his book, Al-Siyasah al-Shar’iyyah.)

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam ‘ala Rasulillah. Following text give you reasons why Allah (SWT) has forbidden eating pork. There are many other reasons which we do not know of but ALLAH (SWT) knows.

“You are what you eat” – Native American proverb

In folklore terms, eating the meat of the pig is said to contribute to lack of morality and shame, plus greed for wealth, laziness, indulgence, dirtiness and gluttony. We insult a person by calling him or her a “Pig” when they demonstrate these characteristics. Muslims are forbidden by God to eat the meat of the pig (pork).

This is detailed in verses 2:173, 5:3, 6:145, and 16:115 of the Qur’an. An exemplary verse is quoted here: “He has only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and any (food) over which the name of other than Allah has been invoked. But if one is forced by necessity, without willful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits, then Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

Is Pork Forbidden to Muslims Only?

The Jews and Christians are also forbidden from eating pork. Here is a quote from the Old Testament to that effect: “And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase.” Deuteronomy 14:8

Many Christians believe that this verse was directed only at the Jews. But Jesus himself says during the Sermon on the Mount; “Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the Prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.” Some Christians say that, after a vision by St. Peter, God cleansed all animals and made them fit and lawful for human consumption. If ALL animals are cleansed by Peter’s vision, this includes dogs, cats, vultures, and rats: but you just don’t see people getting excited about a cat-meat sandwich like they do over barbecued pork or bacon. Others say that it was Paul who rescinded the law forbidding pork to humans, in order to appease the Romans, who enjoyed the taste of pig-meat. Many excuses have been given, but none are very sound.

Many Far Eastern traditions also discourage the eating of pork. The 3,000 year old Confucian Book of Rites says, “Agentleman does not eat the flesh of pigs and dogs.” Although many Chinese are avid eaters of pork today, physicians of ancient China recognized pork-eating as the root of many human ailments. Buddhists, Jains and Hindus usually avoid eating any kind of meat.

Bad effects of pork consumption

Pig’s bodies contain many toxins, worms and latent diseases. Although some of these infestations are harbored in other animals, modern veterinarians say that pigs are far more predisposed to these illnesses than other animals. This could be because pigs like to scavenge and will eat any kind of food, including dead insects, worms, rotting carcasses, excreta (including their own), garbage, and other pigs.

Influenza (flu) is one of the most famous illnesses which pigs share with humans. This illness is harbored in the lungs of pigs during the summer months and tends to affect pigs and humans in the cooler months. Sausage contains bits of pigs’ lungs, so those who eat pork sausage tend to suffer more during epidemics of influenza. Pig meat contains excessive quantities of histamine and imidazole compounds, which can lead to itching and inflammation; growth hormone, which promotes inflammation and growth; sulphur-containing mesenchymal mucus, which leads to swelling and deposits of mucus in tendons and cartilage, resulting in arthritis, rheumatism, etc.

Sulfur helps cause firm human tendons and ligaments to be replaced by the pig’s soft mesenchymal tissues, and degeneration of human cartilage. Eating pork can also lead to gallstones and obesity, probably due to its high cholesterol and saturated fat content. The pig is the main carrier of the taenia solium worm, which is found it its flesh. These tapeworms are found in human intestines with greater frequency in nations where pigs are eaten. This type of tapeworm can pass through the intestines and affect many other organs, and is incurable once it reaches beyond a certain stage. One in six people in the US and Canada has trichinosis from eating trichina worms which are found in pork. Many people have no symptoms to warn them of this, and when they do, they resemble symptoms of many other illnesses. These worms are not noticed during meat inspections, nor are they killed by salting or smoking. Few people cook the meat long enough to kill the trichinae. The rat (another scavenger) also harbors this disease. There are dozens of other worms, germs, diseases and bacteria which are commonly found in pigs, many of which are specific to the pig, or found in greater frequency in pigs.

Pigs are biologically similar to humans, and their meat is said to taste similar to human flesh. Pigs have been used for dissection in biology labs due to the similarity between their organs and human organs. People with insulin-dependent diabetes usually inject themselves with pig insulin.

Kindness to animals

Every creature was created by Allah for a purpose. The Prophet always encouraged being kind to animals. Although we should not eat the meat of the pig, it doesn’t mean that we should hate pigs. We should show them the same kindness as any other animal, and not abuse or torture them. Pigs score high on tests devised to determine animal intelligence; in other words, they are very smart. It used to be that Europe people believed that pork would taste better if the pigs were kept in a state of filth, but this is not the natural inclination of the pig. When left to their own devices, it is said that pigs do not like to soil their sleeping quarters. As for their tendency to wallow in mud, that is done mainly to keep cool.

Every year, on the evening of October 31st, millions of children across North America paint their faces, dress up in costumes, and go door to door collecting treats. The adults often decorate their houses with ghostly figures, carve scary faces on pumpkins, and put candles in them to create “Jack-O-Lanterns.” Unfortunately, among the millions of North Americans indulging in this custom, many are also Muslims. This article will shed some light on the significance and origins of Hallow’een, and why Muslims should not participate in it.
Origins of the Hallow’een Festival

The ancient Celtic (Irish/Scottish/Welsh) festival called Samhain is considered by most historians and scholars to be the predecessor of what is now Hallow’een. Samhain was the New Year’s day of the pagan Celts. It was also the Day of the Dead, a time when it was believed that the souls of those who had died during the year were allowed access into the “land of the dead”. Many traditional beliefs and customs associated with Samhain continue to be practiced today on the 31st of October. Most notable of these customs are the practice of leaving offerings of food and drink (now candy) to masked and costumed revelers, and the lighting of bonfires. Elements of this festival were incorporated into the Christian festival of All Hallow’s Eve, or Hallow-Even, the night preceding All Saint’s (Hallows’) Day.

It is the glossing of the name Hallow- Even that has given us the name of Hallow’een. Until recent times in some parts of Europe, it was believed that on this night the dead walked amongst them, and that witches and warlocks flew in their midst. In  preparation for this, bonfires were built to ward off these malevolent spirits.

By the 19th century, witches’ pranks were replaced by children’s tricks. The spirits of Samhain, once believed to be wild and powerful were now recognized as being evil. Devout Christians began rejecting this festival. They had discovered that the so-called gods, godesses, and other spiritual beings of the pagan religions, were diabolicaldeceptions. The spiritual forces that people experienced during this festival were indeed real, but they were manifestations of the devil who misled people toward the worship of false idols. Thus, they rejected the customs associated with Hallow’een, including  all representations of ghosts, vampires, and human skeletons – symbols of the dead – and of the devil and other malevolent and evil  creatures. It must also be noted that, to this day, many Satan-worshippers consider the evening of October 31st to be their  most sacred. And many devout Christians today continue to distance  themselves from this pagan festival.

The Islamic Perspective

Iman (faith) is the foundation of Islamic society, and tauheed (the belief in the existence and Oneness of Allah) is the essence of this faith and the very core of Islam. The safeguarding of this iman, and of this pure tauheed, is the primary objective of all Islamic teachings and legislation. In order to keep the Muslim society  purified of all traces of shirk (associating partners with Allah) and remnants of error, a continuous war must be waged against all customs and practises which originate from societies’ ignorance of divine  guidance, and in the errors of idol worship.

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s.) issued a stern warning: “Whoever imitates a nation is one of them!” (Abu Da’oud). Muslims should heed this warning and refrain from copying or imitating the kufar in their celebrations. Islam has strongly forbidden Muslims to follow the religious or social customs of the non-Muslims, and especially of the idol-worshippers or those who worship the devil. The Prophet (s.a.s.) said: “By Him in Whose hands is my life, you are ordered to enjoin good and forbid evil, or else Allah will certainly afflict you with torments. Thereafter, even your du’a (supplications) will not be accepted.” (Tirmidhi).

From an Islamic standpoint, Hallow’een is one of the worst celebrations because of its origins and history. It is HARAM (forbidden), even if there may be some seemingly good or harmless elements in those practises, as evidenced by a statement from the Prophet (s.a.s.) “Every innovation (in our religion) is misguidance, even if the people regard it as something good” (ad-Daarimee). Although it may be argued that the celebration of Hallow’een today has nothing to do with devil-worship, it is still forbidden for  Muslims to participate in it. If Muslims begin to take part in such  customs, it is a sure sign of weak iman and that we have either  forgotten, or outrightly rejected the mission of our Prophet (s.a.s.)  who came to cleanse us from jahiliyyah customs, superstitions and  false practises.

Muslims are enjoined to neither imitate the behaviour and customs of the non-Muslims, nor to commit their indecencies.Behaviour-imitation will affect the attitude of a Muslim and may create a feeling of sympathy towards the indecent modes of life. Islam seeks to cleanse the Muslim of all immoral conducts and habits, and thus paving the way for the Qur’an and Sunnah to be the correct and pure source for original Islamic thought and behaviour. A Muslim should be a model for others in faith and practice, behaviour and moral character, and not a blind imitator dependant on other nations and cultures.

Even if one decides to go along with the outward practises of Hallow’een without acknowledging the deeper significance or  historical background of this custom, he or she is still guilty of  indulging in this pagan festival. Undoubtedly, even after hearing the  Truth, some Muslims will still participate in Hallow’een, send their  kids “trick-or-treating,” and they will try to justify it by saying  they are doing it merely to make their children happy. But what is  the duty of Muslim parents? Is it to follow the wishes of their   children without question, or to mould them within the correct  Islamic framework as outlined in the Qur’an and Sunnah? Is it not the  responsibility of Muslim parents to impart correct Islamic training  and instruction to their children? How can this duty be performed if,  instead of instructing the children in Islam, parents allow and encourage their children to be taught the way of the unbelievers? Allah exposes these types of people in the Qur’an: “We have sent them the Truth, but they indeed practise falsehood” (23:10).

Muslim parents must teach their children to refrain from practising falsehood, and not to imitate the non-Muslims in their customs and festivals. If the children are taught to be proud of their Islamic heritage, they themselves will, insha Allah, abstain from Hallow’een and other non-Muslim celebrations, such as birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, Valentines Day, etc. The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s.) said: The Final Hour will not come until my followers copy the deeds of the previous nations and follow them very closely, span by span, and cubit by cubit (inch by inch). (Bukhari). Islam is a pure religion with no need to accomodate any custom, practise or celebration that is not a part of it. Islam does not distinguish between “secular and sacred;” the shari’ah must rule every aspect of our lives.

“You must keep to my Sunnah and the sunnah of the rightly-guided Caliphs; cling to it firmly. Beware of newly invented matters, for every new matter is an innovation, and every innovation is misleading.” (Bukhari)

“When the people see a person committing a wrong, but do not seize his hand to restrain him or her from the deed, it is likely that  Allah will punish them both.” (Abu Da’oud, Nasa’i, Tirmidhi)

“Whoever imitates a nation is one of them.” (Abu Da’oud)

What to do on Halloween

We have established, beyond doubt, that the celebration of Hallow’een is absolutely forbidden in Islam. It is HARAM. The question arises as to what to do on this night. Muslim parents must not send their kids out “trick-or-treating” on Hallow’een night. Our children must be told why we do not celebrate Hallow’een. Most children are very  receptive when taught with sincerity, and especially when shown in  practice the joy of their own Islamic celebrations and traditions. In  this regard, teach them about the two Islamic festivals of Eid. (Eid-ul-Fitr is fast approaching, and this is the perfect time to start preparing them for it.) It must also be mentioned that, even Muslims who stay home and give out treats to those who come to their door are still participating in this festival. In order to avoid this, leave the front lights off and do not open the door. Educate your neighbours about our Islamic teachings. Inform them in advance that Muslims do not participate in Hallow’een, and explain the reasons why. (Give them a copy of this flyer if needed.)  They will respect your wishes, and you will gain respect in the process.  “A person who calls another to guidance will be rewarded, as will the one who accepts the message.” (Tirmidhi)

Finally, we must remember that we are fully accountable to Allah for all of our actions and deeds. If, after knowing the Truth, we do not cease our un-Islamic practises, we risk the wrath of Allah as He himself warned us in the Qur’an: “Then let them beware who refuse the Messenger’s order lest some trial befall them, or a grevious punishment be afflicted upon them!” (24:63). This is a serious matter and not to be taken lightly. And Allah knows best. May Allah guide us, help us to stay on the right path, and save us from all  deviations and innovations that will lead us into the fires of Hell.

A recent study found “that 56 percent of TV programs – and 67 percent of prime-time shows – contained sexual content in word or deed over the course of one week. Yet only one in 10 such shows mentioned contraception, safe sex, or the possibility of delaying sexual activity, the study found.” Forget about them even mentioning the pre-matial sex is a sin! This is considered a joke by today’s moral standards.

My questions is “Where are you children learning about the correct Islamic perspsective regarding sex and other moral issues?”

Did you know that American children watch, at an average, three to four hours of television daily? I am sure is is true here also in Canada as our cultures are very similar.

Television can be a powerful influence in developing value systems and shaping behavior. Unfortunately, too much of today’s television programming isn’t used to shape children in the mold of a good child.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has stated regarding Television issues:

“TV is an important influence on child development and behavior. It is essential that parents help their children use TV as a positive, creative force, and help them avoid TV’s negative influences.

Time spent watching TV could be better spent on constructive activities.

(Source: AAP Committee on Communications.)

* The AAP recommends that parents limit children’s television viewing to 1 to 2 hours per day, and spend more time on activities such as reading, athletics, physical conditioning and alternative hobbies.

* American children view over 23 hours of television per week.

* Teenagers view an average of 21 to 22 hours of television per week.

* By the time today’s children reach age 70, they will have spent 7 to 10 years of their lives watching television.

* Television contributes to obesity. Children who watch a lot of television are less physically fit, because television takes time away from physical play. (Source: AAP brochure: Television and the Family, Committee on Communications.)
Advertising

(Source: AAP Committee on Communications.)

* TV advertising and programming can adversely affect learning and behavior of children and adolescents and detract from time spent reading or using other active learning skills.

* American children have viewed an estimated 360,000 advertisements on television before graduating from high school.

* American children view nearly 2,000 beer and wine commercials per year on television. Beer, wine and liquor companies spend over $2 billion per year on advertising and promotion.

Sex and Violence in the Media

(Source: AAP Committee on Communications)

• By age 18, young people will have viewed an estimated 200,000 acts of violence on television alone.
• The average American teenager will view nearly 14,000 sexual references, innuendoes and jokes per year.
• On average, American children are exposed to 5 violent acts per hour on prime-time TV.”

There is a nice web site called “Limit TV.” This site seeks to inform parents, educators, and children about the ways excessive TV watching can damage a child’s development and education and offers alternative things you can do with your child instead of placing them in front of a TV set. I invite you to visit this website.

I especially invite you to read the essay on “Your child’s brain wasn’t built for all that TV”  which argues that “TV trains the brain. It impacts neurological development. It seems so harmless, and sometimes even marvelous, but it is not a neutral force in your child’s life. This page discusses how TV can hamper a child’s ability to learn.” The article can be found here.

Paul Ruggieri, a Catholic writer and broadcaster, has this to say in his book “Answers For Troubled Times“:

“Imagine that every place you could live, every house or apartment in this world, is built with a box in one of the rooms. The box plays enjoyable music, and a little ballerina pops up and slowly spins around when the lid is lifted. The problem is that each box has a demon inside. Every time the lid is raised to hear the music, the demon  challenges you and your moral values and always succeeds in breaking down those moral values at least a
little bit. If this scenario were true to life, do you think anyone would lift the lid? Parents would certainly put a Mr. Yuk sticker on the box and tell their children to stay out of that room.

Yet, it is true to life. In every home there is at least one box. It’s called a television. There are very few people who think twice before turning it on, and even fewer who decide not to for the sake of their morals. People readily take on the characteristics of the television they watch. This is evidenced in many ways. In the 70’s, boys dressed like Fonzy and girls like Farrah Fawcet. In the 80’s, twenty year old males sported the semi-shaven look of Don Johnson. The late 80’s and early 90’s brought green, pizza-eating sewer turtles and Power Rangers into our lives and children began side-kicking and talking in a “totally gnarly” way.”

He goes on to say that the four main themes found in television and all mass media are:

Sexual Promiscuity (Lust), Materialism (Greed),Violence (Hatred), and Drug and Alcohol Abuse (see: http://www.catholicity.com/Cathedral/answers/Chapter1.html)

All these things are in direct opposition to our Islamic values, but we insist on feeding ourselves and our children with this trash. How many times have we stayed home to watch “the game” or that “must see”  movie or documentory instead of going to Ishaa prayer? What example are we conveying to our children when we make such decisions? If we are feeding them a daily diet of filth and setting NO Islamic example for them whatsoever, then do not be suprised when little Fatimah or little Muhammad comes home one day and tells you she or he is gay! Yes, it is happening in our community, and it is is our fault too. They were fed the message “it’s ok to be gay” day in and day out, week after week, year after year via that little black box that sits prominently in your living room right beside a dusty Quran that has not been touched in weeks.

We are so careful to teach our children to keep away from those things which defile their clothing (ie urine and all that is nejus), but what about those things that defile the heart and mind? Are we bringing up children that have an outward shell of being Muslims with all the “trappings” of Islamic culture, but who inside are full of sin and utter corruption, and do not even possess a basic understanding of the Islamic aqeedah?  Even as in the physical sense we are what we eat, even so in the spiritual sense we are the products of what we feed our hearts and minds.

The prophet (PBUH) reminded us that when a human being dies, all his actions come to an end, except in one of three ways: a continuous act of charity, or a contribution to knowledge which benefits mankind, or a good child who prays for him. So, if we are not bringing up or children in the ways of Islam and teaching him/her to fear Allah, then we are not even doing ourselves a favor. If they do not pray now, why will they pray after you are gone? You will also be the loser.

My dear fellow Muslims, Allah says in His noble book:

“Fair in the eyes of men is the love of things they covet: Women and sons; Heaped-up hoards of gold and silver; horses branded (for blood and excellence); and (wealth of) cattle and well-tilled land. Such are the possessions of this world’s life; but with Allah is the best of the goals (to return to). (3:14)”

and

“Ye are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah. If only the People of the Book had faith, it were best for them: among them are some who have faith, but most of them are perverted transgressors. (3.110)”

and

“Many of them dost thou see, racing each other in sin and transgression, and their eating of things forbidden. Evil indeed are the things that they do.(5:62)”

Please read the following article below in the APPENDIX and honestly ask yourself, “Do I want my child to be exposed to this?” Even the Christian community is concerned about this, so what are we doing? There are probably over 7 million Muslims in North American society. What kind of impact are we making on this society in a positive way so that the cause of Allah becomes supreme over all other false and ungodly systems? Our message is found in the words of the creator, Allah, when He the exalted and supreme says:

“83. Do they seek for other than the Religion of Allah? – while all creatures in the heavens and on earth have, willing or unwilling, bowed to His Will (accepted Islam), and to Him shall they all be brought back.

84. Say: “We believe in Allah, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the Prophets, from their Lord: We make no distinction between one and another among them, and to Allah do we bow our will (in Islam).”

85. If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah), never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter He will be in the ranks of those who have lost. (Chapter 3 Quran)”

and

“And vie with one another to attain your Sustainer’s forgiveness and a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, which awaits the God conscious, who spend for charity in time of plenty and in time of hardship, and restrain their anger and pardon their fellow men, for God loves those who do good. (3:133-134)”

One essay on Islamic Morality sums up the goals of Islam this way:

“A major goal of Islam is to provide mankind with a practical and realistic system of life based on good by which he can conduct his life. It calls upon mankind not only to practice virtue but to establish it and to eradicate all that is harmful. It seeks the supremacy of one’s conscience in all matters, so that what is harmful cannot gain the upper hand in either an individual’s or a society’s life. Those who respond to this call are known as Muslims, which literally means those who have submitted to Allah. The sole object of the resulting community of Muslims (the ummah ) is the undertaking of an organized effort to establish what is good and to fight and eradicate what is evil and harmful.”

As for my wife and I we do not have a TV nor do we ever plan to buy one any time soon. It is the best decision we have made. After reading this information to hope to hear that many of you will make a similar choice. I am sure your life will be enriched, inshallah.

In Karachi the murder and mayhem have been going on for years. “The only social activities left in the city are those related to death,” wrote a Karachi newsmagazine editorial some years ago. “Funerals, burial, mourning.” When you leave the home in the morning, you don’t know whether you’ll return safely that evening. Wherever you look, you can see fear, uncertainty, depression.Yet, among all the fearing and grieving that accompanies the tragedy, the dish antennas on the rooftops have been flourishing. In the past at times of catastrophes people would turn to Allah, would stop going to the cinema houses, and would repent from sins, even though temporarily.

Today, there is an ever-increasing appetite for the television fun. On days when a strike is called to protest Indian atrocities in Kashmir, the video stores in Karachi run out of videos of Indian movies.

In Saudi Arabia, one can find the imprints of Hollywood only a few yards away from the Haram, the most sacred of all sanctuaries of Islam. Videocassettes are easily available at stores. A hotel attendant, at a walking distance from the Haram al-Sharif in Makkah can be found busy watching English movies on the television in his office. At the Jeddah airport, the Umrah pilgrims can watch a European beauty contest courtesy of an Egyptian TV channel being broadcast to the airport television sets.

Throughout the world religious, moral and social values have been drastically undermined by this great “technological gift” of the century. And entire nations seem to be helplessly “enjoying” the invasion. When people are doing nothing, they watch television. When they are doing something else, they still have television in the background. The device has contributed to the addition of a new space in the architecture of the private home: the TV lounge. It is a space where perfect strangers come to pedal nudity, immorality, and hedonism. This is the space, which increasingly controls the entire house.

It is fashionable to complain about “excessive” sex and violence on television. Even those who make money from this enterprise willingly do that. CNN tycoon Ted Turner said in July 93 before a U.S Congressional subcommittee: “I don’t need experts to tell me that the amount of violence on television today and its increasingly graphic portrayal can be harmful to children. Television violence is the single most significant factor contributing to violence in America.”

And a poll released in February 95 in the U.S. by Children Now, whose directors include TV producers and Warner Brothers Chairman, reported that most children believe that what they see on television encourages fornication, disrespect for parents, telling lies, and aggressive behavior.

The most significant thing here is that what the TV industry wants us to discuss (and we willingly follow) is what is ON television, not television itself. Everyone will wholeheartedly agree with the problems with TV programs and offer all kinds of advice. (Watch the programs with your children. Tell them what is wrong. Be critical. Be creative.) Irrational and meaningless as it is, this exercise will nonetheless soothe your irritation. In the meantime, keep on watching. It is fun. It is also unavoidable.

In about two decades, this “wonderful” technical development has played havoc with societies around the globe. But what is even more unprecedented is the ambivalence with which these societies face this greatest of all invasions. Underlying this is a strongly held belief that television is a neutral tool that can be used with equal facility for good or evil. Unfortunately, this position has been taken without any critical examination of the facts. It is about time that we approached the subject with an open mind.

Neutral Tool? Is technology ever neutral? “[Every technology] has within its physical form a predisposition toward being used in certain ways and not others,” writes Niel Postman, chair of the department of Communication Arts at New York University. “Only those who know nothing of the history of technology believe that a technology is entirely neutral.” (Amusing Ourselves to Death, 1985).

What about television? It reflects the idea that serious discourse can be carried out through pictures instead of words. As Postman explains: “The single most important fact about television is that people watch it, which is why it is called `television.’ And what they watch, and like to watch, are moving pictures__ millions of them, of short duration and dynamic variety. It is in the nature of the medium that it must suppress the content of ideas in order to accommodate the requirements of visual interest.”

Words and pictures do not occupy the same universe of discourse. A piece of writing requires one to go beyond the shape of the letters to read them. It requires thought to understand what is being said. Television does not require reflection, in fact it does not even permit it. That is why little children can spend hours in front of the mini screen. Television can titillate, it cannot teach. It can bring images into our heart, not ideas into our mind. It appeals to the emotions, not the intellect.

But isn’t a picture worth a thousand words? Is it? It is important to note that this claim itself is made in words. A picture cannot make any claims. For reason, arguments, claims, and judgement belong in the universe of words not pictures. That is why advertisers love pictures. Consider an ad for, say, Coca-Cola, that just shows young people singing, dancing, having fun, and enjoying the drink. The audiences make the connection between happiness and Coke. This ad cannot be refuted. It makes no claim, so there is nothing to refute.

Medium Is The Message: The above explains Marshal McLuhan’s famous aphorism. The inherent, built in biases of a medium allow certain types of messages and not others. The communication is conditioned by the medium. It is enhanced or distorted by it. The medium is the message. And when the medium is TV, the message is Entertainment. As Postman notes: “Entertainment is the supra ideology of all discourse on television.” Whether it is news, science, religion, or education, if it is happening on TV, it must follow the dictates of entertainment.

In fact, a new term has been coined indicating a blend of education and entertainment: Edutainment. It smells like the language problem of a TV baby. But remember that it is already being used by the serious press. Which suggests that edutainment will produce even more edutainment!

Like A Drug: Actually, TV is not just another kind of entertainment either. As a project by the National Institute of Mental Health in the U.S. involving 1200 subjects in nine studies over a 13 year period found in 1990, television is like a drug. The researchers asked the subjects, ages 10 to 82, to note down their activities and moods every time a beeper was activated, which was done randomly. The researchers found that when people sit down to watch TV, particularly for long periods, they tend to be in low moods. The longer they watch, the less able they are to concentrate. As time goes on, they grow sadder, lonelier, more irritable, and more hostile. Although people are relaxed when the television set is on, when they turn it off, they are less relaxed than before they began, “much like a drug that makes people feel better while they are doing it but worse afterward.” And just like a drug the weaker segments of the society are its greatest target. Thus in the U.S. blacks tend to watch more TV than whites. And now thanks to satellite TV transmissions over which the poor countries have no control, the rest of the world is being turned into the U.S. black under class.

Islamic Work And Television: Can this dangerous drug be somehow converted into a medicine? Not too long ago, a young professional in the U.S. approached prominent Muslim scholar Justice Taqi Usmani to inquire about his profession. He produced computer graphics for the television and motion picture industry. This is the age of the media, and the only effective way to spread Islam today is through television and movies, he argued. If we do not learn the trade how shall we be able to produce such programs and if we don’t who will, he inquired. Yet, some people had told him that it was not a good profession.

“I have given a lot of anxious thought to this issue,” replied Justice Usmani in his characteristic measured tone, weighing every word. “And I have reached the conclusion that the cause of Islam cannot be served through television, especially under the current circumstances. You should seek another line of work.”

Frankly, there are lot of enthusiasts who may be totally bewildered by this answer for it challenges both conventional wisdom as well as some dearly held dreams. They may even consider anyone making this suggestion as belonging to the Flat Earth Society: backward, anti-progress, ignorant of today’s realities. Let us grant them their day in court and look at theircase objectively.

The enthusiasts have shown interest in three primary areas. The first deals with propagation of Islam. There are lots of sincere Muslims putting lot of hope in a yet-to-be-released video that will attract the people of the world to Islam by the thousands. They are simply confusing Dawah with propaganda! Dawah means inviting people to the Straight Path by relaying the True Message to them without any distortion. It is a very serious message and requires a serious medium to deliver it. The message is for their own benefit and what they do with it is their own business. Our job is done once we have communicated the message correctly. Our job is not to manipulate people into submission to Allah any more than it is to coerce them into it. A Dawah worker is a teacher, a propagandist is a manipulator. Television is a good tool for manipulating, not for teaching.

The second area deals with the education (“edutainment”) of children. Many videos have already been produced for this purpose. In one program from a popular series of such videos, a puppet named Adam drives a skateboard to the mosque. Scenes of Adam doing his antics are mixed with the videos of real children praying. But there is no doubt that Adam is the hero of this story.

Here is a clear case of the medium distorting the message. The children who learn to pray this way may learn the mechanics of Salat, but they would have paid a terrible price for it. The idea of Salat will be associated in their mind with the images of puppets, skateboards, and the idea of fun. Missing will be the spiritual dimension of prayer, the solemnness and grace of this pillar of Islam. Such videos are very popular as they help assuage the guilt feelings of parents over their failure to control the TV in the first place.

To be fair there is a useful role for these videos but it is not normally perceived. Doctors use nicotine patches to help their patients stop smoking. Nicotine is not a medicine, but it becomes therapeutic under the circumstances. Similarly, the TV addicts may be helped by such videos to get over their addiction. It might work if that is the goal. But this is very different from the view that here is a Brave New Way of teaching Islam. The children and their parents must realize that ultimately they have to learn their religion the old fashioned way: read books, listen to lectures, work hard.

The third type of videos are used by relief organizations showing the terrible situation of Muslims in Kashmir, Bosnia, Palestine and elsewhere. The intentions are noble, the results look great. But someone must ask the hard question: Why should the Muslims need disaster pornography before they can come to the help of their brothers and sisters? What are the implications of this practice for both present and future?

There are, of course, cases where the TV is being used against its grain, where the only video is that of a talking head. Such Islamic programs in Egypt or Saudi Arabia, as elsewhere, may not contain all the dangers cited above, solely because there the TV is being used just as an expensive radio. The problem is such programs will not be able to withstand the onslaught of CNN or MTV, of dazzling colors and dynamic pictures. The question remains how long can you use a tool against its grain?

The simple fact is that no one buys a TV and VCR because they desperately wanted to learn about Islam and it was the best way of doing it. The TV lounge is not a study room and all the Islamic videos in the world are not going to make it one. It is a peace of Hollywood. The rest is camouflage or self-deception. The earlier we get out of it, the better.


What Can Be Done?

Television is powerful. It is everywhere. Is there anything that us mortals can do about it? The answer is yes. Things can be done at individual, as well as collective levels. At the individual level, try using the ON/OFF switch. It takes some effort and will power, but the device can be turned off. The key is to involve the entire family. Those nervous about the idea may rest assured that there is no known disease linked to lack of exposure to TV! Also those who have tried it know that it becomes easier with time. Community Organizations can help by educating the people about the perils of watching TV, countering the social pressures, and providing healthy alternatives.

Ramadan: The TV Free Month. Our best chance of kicking the television habit comes in Ramadan every year. It is the time of year when every Muslim who has any trace of Iman in his or her heart, is naturally inclined toward doing good and staying away from evil. And it should be like that. Did not the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, curse the Muslim who finds Ramadan but does not use it to seek forgiveness for his previous sins? If we cannot leave sins or vain activities during Ramadan, when can we? We not only have the strongest moral and religious reasons to do so, it is also easy because the regular activities of Ramadan leave little time to be wasted in front of television.

Muslim organizations and communities will do a great service by launching a campaign to declare Ramadan as the TV free month. Urge all the Muslims in your community to turn it off for at least one month. And who knows, after one month many may decide to stay away from it because of the personal insights they got through the experience.

Of course, if you are convinced, do not wait until Ramadan. Start today.

A man was once asked why he did not drink, and he replied, ‘By God, I am not happy with my mind when it is sound, so why should I corrupt it even further?’ – The Seventy-seven Branches of Faith – Imam Al-Bayhaqi, The Quillian Press – (1996, ISBN 1 872038 03 4) – Page 31

Alcohol is detrimental to your health especially your liver. Alcohol befogs the mind and prevents rational thinking. Alcohol causes road accidents and innocent lives lost. Alcohol increases the occurance of domestic violence. Alcohol addiction causes financial ruin.

The Holy Quran, 2.219: They ask thee concerning wine and gambling. Say: “In them is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit.” They ask thee how much they are to spend; Say: “What is beyond your needs.” Thus doth Allah Make clear to you His Signs: In order that ye may consider.

The Holy Quran, 5.90: O ye who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an abomination,- of Satan’s handwork: eschew such (abomination), that ye may prosper.

The Holy Quran, 5.91: Satan’s plan is (but) to excite enmity and hatred between you, with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from prayer: will ye not then abstain?

Many of grow up in societies where drinking is second nature to most people. Alcohol is staple in some societies, among an increasing number of people. It is also becoming an irreplaceable component of “having fun” and partying. No get together seems complete without alcohol. Tequila shots over the bar counter, vodka and vodka lime for beginners.

“Let’s go have fun tonight” is being replaced by “Let’s go get pissed drunk tonight.”

It can be difficult to deal with an environment where peer pressure is overpowering – which is almost always is. But consider this: Drunk people embarrass themselves in public and in front of friends. They have little control their actions or their words. One friend of mine nearly died because he walked onto a busy street in his drunken stupor. Another friend was raped by her boyfriend while she was asleep/hungover.

You have a million reasons to stop drinking – not just for yourself but for your friends and family…and especially the innocent stranger who might get hurt by your actions during a drunken stupor. You’ll feel healthier – it’s a guarantee and you’ll save money to do other cool stuff.

God gives us instructions because He is All Knowing. Everything in Islam has a practical and healthy reason behind it..some of which we are aware of and others we’re not but they’re for our own good. God says in the Holy Quran – there is some good in alcohol but the bad outweighs the good.

Mutilation of one’s body has been clearly prohibited in Islam. Allah Almighty mentions in Surah al-Nisa the words of Shaytan, when he said: “I will mislead them and I will order them to slit the ears of cattle, and to deface the (fair) natural creation of Allah.” (4: 119).To deface the fair nature created by Allah, both physically and spiritually, is what Shaytan likes and orders to practise.

In a Hadith it is stated: “Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (Allah be pleased with him) said: “Allah’s curse is on those women who practise tattooing and get themselves tattooed, and those who remove hair from their faces, and those who make space between their teeth artificially to beautify themselves. They are such that they change the nature and features created by Allah. Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) also cursed such women” [Recorded by Imam al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim in their respective Sahih collections]

In view of the above, the Fuqaha have declared that all types of mutilation to one’s body is unlawful (haram) unless when Shari’ah permits to do so, such as: circumcision, trimming the hair from the body, cutting the nails, etc… or that which is considered an adornment for the body, such as: piercing the ears or the nose, etc…

Cosmetic Surgery

Cosmetic surgery for the purpose of beautifying oneself is also (in the light of the above) impermissible. The body given to us by our creator is a trust (amanah), thus it is unlawful to tamper with it in any way. If one does so, then he will be committing the sin of ‘changing the nature created by Allah (taghyeer khalq Allah).

However, if there is a genuine need, as in a particular organ of the body is severely deformed, e.g. the nose is damaged or a child is born with six fingers, etc…, then to perform cosmetic surgery will become permissible.

Imam Abu Dawud, Imam Nasa’i and Imam Tirmizi (Allah have mercy on them) relate in their respective Sunan collections, that a Companion (sahabi) by the name of Arfajah ibn Aswad (Allah be pleased with him) had his nose damaged in the battle of kulab. He replaced it first with silver, and then with a nose made of gold, with the order and consent of the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam).

It is stated in al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya: “If one intends to cut off an extra finger, it will be permissible as long as there is no fear of perishing. (4 /114).

It should be also remarked here, that if cosmetic surgery was carried out due to a genuine reason, then the ablution (wudu) and obligatory bath (ghusl) will be valid by letting the water flow on the surgical area, even though the water does not reach the actual body (See: Radd al-Muhtar, 1/104).

In conclusion, cosmetic and plastic surgery for the purpose of beautifying and adornment is impermissible. However, if there is a genuine need due to something abnormal, then there is a dispensation of permissibility.

And Allah knows best

Answered by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari of the Hanafi fiqh list.