Fatwas Part Seventy-Three

Issued by: Dr. Ahmed Subhy Mansour, translated by: Ahmed Fathy

Mourning for Widows

Published in February 2, 2018

Question: … Dear Sir, … My sister lost her husband to death; she's declared to wear black clothes for four months and ten days and to stick to other imaginary mourning obligations such as never to leave her house unless when absolutely necessary, among other restrictions … I do believe she is mistaken; she misunderstands the Quranic verse 2:234 because of Sunnite fiqh/hadiths myths, right?! Could you please tell me more of your ponderings about 2:234 to refute such weird, laughter-inducing stance of widows in general in my country? … Thank you …    

Answer:

 We have written previous fatwas and at least one previous article on that topic; there are nothing called mourning rituals in Islam; we refer you to two videos of ours about this topic of mourning for women within the subtitled-into-English episodes of our YouTube show titled "Quranic Moments": part one on this link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwUdmAAfBpkand part two on this link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysosKo8lrFI

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A Stupid Mufti!

Published in February 2, 2018

Question: …  Dear Sir, … The grand mufti in our country has issued a strange fatwa; a young woman got pregnant by her lover, who readily agreed to marry her while she was pregnant, and now they live as a happy family with one male child; yet, the grand mufti in his fatwa says that this child is a natural child (i.e., resulting from fornication) and therefore has no right to inherit his father's money when his father dies one day! This strange view has nothing to do with Islam, right?! What do you think? Any comments? … Thank you …  

Answer:

 Thank you, our dear daughter, for your email message. We think that this stupid mufti is a jack-ass and one of the ignoramuses of the Sunnite religion of Satan. Of course, this male child is guiltless and he can inherit both his father and mother one day after their death. We must remember this Quranic legislative rule: "...and no soul bears the burdens of another..." (6:164). Any children born out of wedlock are never responsible for any sins; they are the victims here; this ignoramus of bovine stupidity who has issued such filthy fatwa is merely regurgitating notions from Middle-Ages Sunnite books; this has nothing to do whatsoever with Islam (i.e., the Quran) which is the religion of justice. God commands people to ascribe children to their fathers' names, if the fathers are known, and if not, we must deal with these children kindly as brethren in humanity and in religion: "Call them after their fathers; that is more equitable with God. But if you do not know their fathers, then your brethren in faith and your friends..." (33:5). Let us remember these historical accounts: before and during the time when the Quran was being revealed in Arabia,fornication was so common without feeling guilty or a sense of shame at all.Progeny of prostitutes never felt any sense of shame or social stigma at the time; for instance, the military leader and conqueror of Egypt, Amr Ibn Al-As, was the son of a woman called (Al-Nabigha), a known pretty and good-looking prostitute in Mecca whose fees were the lowest among the prostitutes there at the time in the pre-Islamic era; and when she decides to practice polyandry to get married, five men had sex with her in one night to impregnate her (those men included Abou Sufyan and Al-As Ibn Wael), and when she gave birth to Amr, each man desired to claim the child as his own to marry her, but she preferred Al-As Ibn Wael, because she liked him, and she insisted that she conceived her child, Amr, from him, and Al-As married her and acknowledged the child of be his own. Notably, Abou Sufyan insisted that the child took after him, and wanted to have her as a wife and her child as his own, but she insisted on Al-As (later on, Amr Ibn Al-As and Mu'aweiya Ibn Abou Sufyan became close friends and allies as if they were brothers). Thus, Amr Ibn Al-As was the son of a famous Qorayish whore (or sex worker) named Al-Nabigha, and that is why his lineage and parentage remains a controversial issue to Arab historians. His mother chose to give him the name of Al-As, because he was her most lenient friends/customers who treated her other offspring with care and tenderness. Hence, Amr was named Amr Ibn Al-As Ibn Wael. Another well-known story for Arabs was that Mu'aweiya Abou Sufyan had to acknowledge, for political reasons within critical situations in 42 A.H., a male young man, Ziyad, as his own late father's son, and consequently the half-brother of Mu'aweiya, as a prostitute named Soumayya gave birth to him years ago and called him Ziyad, and a man witnessed that it was Abou Sufyan who impregnated her and no one else, as he testified to Mu'aweiya that his father, Abou Sufyan, asked him to bring a prostitute for his pleasure, and that he spent nights with her alone, and in every single night, her orifices were filled with semen! 

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Sacrificing Animals for Appeasement!

Published in February 2, 2018

Question: …  Dear Sir, … Within the strange customs of our Yemeni tribes, when two families agree to make amends and make peace after a quarrel, the wronged parties demand that the wrongdoing parties must slaughter a certain number of oxen, cows, or sheep – which are never eaten by anyone, as the slaughtered animals are left in the desert to be eaten by desert wolves and foxes! I think this is a waste in terms of economy and also religion-wise, and this is never rewarding by God; besides, if the poor people would eat such slaughtered animals, after they are left in the desert and before they rot, would this be permissible or prohibited food; I mean to say that these animals are not sacrificed to God; are they to be consumed as permissible food items? … What do you think? … Thank you …

Answer:

 We thank you for your good question; of course, we expect you, dear son, to write on our website articles about Yemen and the tribal customs and traditions there. As for our opinion, the poor can eat from these slaughtered animals, since they are not offered to gods/saints or to mausoleums, whether the tribes that slaughtered the animals agree or not; it is OK that desert animals would be allowed to eat such slaughtered animals as well. As for the custom itself as per what you have mentioned, it does NOT violate the Quranic sharia legislations; it is OK to settle disputes and quarrels (and fulfilling contracts) within mutual consent of the involved parties. Of course, this has nothing to do with paying diyya money for murdered person's family and the penalties of theft and adultery/fornication.       

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Slaughtering Sacrificial Animals at Home!

Published in February 2, 2018

Question: … Dear Sir, … Some people during the pilgrimage season, while staying at their homes and homelands (i.e., without performing pilgrimage in Mecca) sacrifice animals during the so-called Greater Bairam feast, as though they were pilgrims; some impecunious people in my village assume that this is an obligatory habit and borrow money annually to do so! I think this is very wrong of them; what do you think? … Thank you …    

Answer:

 We have mentioned before that there are no such a thing as lesser or greater Bairams in Islam, or indeed any religious feasts of any type. Such feasts are centuries-old Sunnite, Sufi, and Shiite habits and fabrications for mere merriment and having fun in festivals which the Muhammadans have invented. Hence, it is silly and laughable that some non-pilgrims would slaughter animals and chant slogans related to pilgrimage; only pilgrims in Mecca are to offer sacrificial animals as part of pilgrimage. One can, of course, offer animals, meat, money, etc. as Zakat or charity money any time, to please the Lord God, but without being forced to do this by anyone, and when one can afford it. For more information about faulty habits linked to pilgrimage, we refer you to our book (in English) titled "Pilgrimage between Islam and the Muhammadans" found on this link: http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=90

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Removing the Hijab

Published in February 3, 2018

Question: … Dear Sir, … You have heard, of course, of the campaign of Iranian women to remove their hijab in public as an act of protest against the oppression of women in Iran; are you for or against this act of protest? … Thank you …      

Answer:

 There is nothing called veil/hijab/niqab/Burqa in Islam. We, and all Quranists, are defending human rights, human dignity, and women's rights. Many episodes of our YouTube videos within the show titled "Exposing Salafism" tackle women's dress code and we prove using the Quran and through history that covering women's heads, hair, necks, and faces is never part of Islam; women are to cover their chests and legs anyway they like. Even in case a woman shows her cleavage and bare legs, this is NOT a grave sin; rather, it is a small mistake or mishap that good deeds make God pardons her for it. It is prohibited in Islam to force woman (and men) to adhere to certain dress codes on pain of imprisonment or paying fines, as the case with Iran. It is not the mission of any State or country to impose any religion on its citizens, presumably within endeavors to make them enter into Paradise. There is nothing in Islam called an 'Islamic' republic; the Shiite theocratic regime of Iran has nothing to do with Islam; Muhammad never knew about 'holy' Shiite locations/mausoleum in the cities of Najaf, Karbala, and Qom; indeed, he never heard of the Shiite, Sunnite, and Sufi religions at all; they are mere fabrications and falsehoods that have nothing to do with Muhammad and the Quran. 

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Repentance and Penalties

Published in February 3, 2018

Question: … Dear Sir, … I agree with your opinion that the repentance of thieves stops exacting the penalty on them (i.e., cutting a hand off) … Yet, because I come from a Shiite background (but I am a Quranist now), I have read before that Shiite authors of the Middle-Ages assert in their books that repentance entails that the judges must exact this penalty even after repentance since the sinners are caught red-handed with theft; they assume that the verse 5:34 refers to NOT to apply any penalties only if the repentance occurs before arresting the culprits … What do you think?  … Thank you …      

Answer:

 This verse "Except for those who repent before you apprehend them. So know that God is Forgiving and Merciful." (5:34) refers to repentant highwaymen and their likes (e.g., any armed terrorists) if they repent before getting arrested and if they surrender their arms before being faced and confronted. This does NOT apply to penalties of slandering women, fornication/adultery, and theft.

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Hearing a Caller

Published in February 3, 2018

Question:  … Dear Sir, … During my daily prayers, I repeat this verse within reverence and piety as much as I can: "Our Lord, we have heard a caller calling to the faith: 'Believe in your Lord,' and we have believed. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins, and remit our misdeeds, and make us die in the company of the good ones." (3:193); yet, this question has crossed my mind: literally, I never heard any caller at all in my life where I live; am I not to use 3:193 in my prayers and supplications, then, so as not to be a liar? What do you think? … Thank you …         

Answer:

 Our dear son, you have already heard a caller to the monotheistic faith when you have found our website and embraced Quranism as the Only True Islam. You have corrected your faith tenets, practices, and acts of worship because of our Quranism website and you seek to pose questions to find answers and verify everything; thus, the verse 3:193 applies to you; you are a monotheist who dedicates faith and all acts of worship only to God; may God make you and our person among the good people in the Hereafter.   

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A Question of Inheritance (1)

Published in February 4, 2018

Question: … Dear Sir, … My wife died; she is survived by myself (her husband) and one son and one daughter; shortly before her death, my wife gave all her golden ornaments and pieces of jewelry to our daughter; would my son have a share of such jewelry or not?  … Thank you …   

Answer:

 No; such jewelry is no longer your wife's to be part of money inherited from her; such jewelry is now your daughter's.

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Who Cut Down the Palm Trees of the Jews?!

Published in February 4, 2018

Question: … Dear Sir, … Is it true or not that Muhammad and his troops in Yathreb cut down and burned the palm trees of the Jews who deserted Arabia later on?! I'm never convinced with such a narrative! What do you think?! … Thank you …   

Answer:

  This narrative, like all Sunnite narratives falsely ascribed to the so-called biographies of Muhammad, is untrue. The only true story of Muhammad is found exclusively in the Quran. The Jewish tribes in Yathreb, who had their own fortresses, committed acts of aggression against the peaceful early believers. God has made fear seize their hearts as they assumed that the early believers may retaliate and attack them soon; and these Jewish tribes left Yathreb without being fought by the troops of the early believers. These Jewish tribes that evacuated their region destroyed all their houses, lands, and possessions so as not to let the Muslim Yathreb dwellers benefit from them. Thus, such Jews must have cut down their own palm trees; Arabs would never do that so as to make use of dates of these palm trees; besides, why should Arabs cut them down after the aggressive Jews left the entire region sieged by Arab troops? To cut them down seems illogical; besides, no battle occurred in the first place. Please ponder on these verses: "It is He who evicted those who disbelieved among the People of the Book from their homes at the first mobilization. You did not think they would leave, and they thought their fortresses would protect them from God. But God came at them from where they never expected, and threw terror into their hearts. They wrecked their homes with their own hands, and by the hands of the believers. Therefore, take a lesson, O you who have insight. Had God not decreed exile for them, He would have punished them in this life. But in the Hereafter they will have the torment of the Fire. That is because they opposed God and His Messenger. Whoever opposes God - God is stern in retribution. Whether you cut down a tree, or leave it standing on its trunk, it is by God's will. He will surely disgrace the sinners. Whatever God has bestowed upon His Messenger from them; you spurred neither horse nor camel for them, but God gives authority to His messengers over whomever He will. God is Able to do all things." (59:2-6).     

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A Question of Inheritance (2)

Published in February 5, 2018

Question: …  Dear Sir, … Days before his death, my bed-ridden father married his nurse! Though I'm sure he was too ill to be able to have sex with her, this nurse claims that my father consummated the marriage before his death and she demands her share of the inheritance money! … Does she deserve a rightful share or not?! I'm my late father's only son! … Thank you …      

Answer:

 Lawfully and as per Quranic sharia legislations, she was your late father's wife; she must inherit one-eighth of his inheritance money; no shares should be distributed until it is verified (after the waiting period passes) if this widow is pregnant or not; if she is pregnant, the shares should be distributed only after she gives birth; if she gives birth to a male baby, it inherits the same share like you; if it turns out to be a female baby, it inherits the amount of half your share.

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An Unjust Father?!

Published in February 6, 2018

Question: …  Dear Sir, … My father, who is still alive, divided shares of his large multiple-story house among my 3 brothers and 4 sisters as per registered legal documents, but he's excluded me for no apparent reason at all! Is this OK, whatever the reason(s) might be, as per Islam?! What do you think? … Thank you …        

Answer:

 This is not deemed as inheritance, since your father is still alive; inheritance money or shares are the ones distributed after the decease of someone. Your father has the freedom to do whatever he likes with his property; he might (not) be unjust to you; we do not know all the history or details of this matter and we do not know your father's motives or justifications; yet, your father will be responsible for all his deeds on the Last Day.

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Shiite Infallible Imams!

Published in February 6, 2018

Question: … Dear Sir, … Within cyberspace, I exchanged some views within a conversation (in writing) with some Shiites persons; they assume that their dead imams (and existing ones!) are infallible and they quote the verse 4:59 to 'prove' this claim! … How could this silly Shiite claim be refuted? … Thank you …

Answer:

 God says in the Quran: "O you who believe! Obey God and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you..." (4:59). The Quranic phrase (those in authority among you) does NOT refer to any clergymen of any type at all; Islam contains no notion of clergymen at all. This Quranic phrase means any qualified experts who serve their society/country within their certain specializations – as we have explained in our book about Islamic Shura consultation, which is direct democracy. Within 4:59, the Only One to be obeyed is God as per His Word given to His messenger and experts must apply the Quranic values and teachings. The Shiite religion and its followers and clergymen have nothing to do with Islam (i.e., the Quran itself); besides, they are polytheists who worship mortal deities and mausoleums within the Shiite pantheon; they deliberately misinterpret Quranic verses and twist their meanings to support their myths. Quranists are monotheists who testify that there is no God but Allah. All humanity will stand before the Almighty Lord God on the Day of Judgment; God will settle our religious disputes on the Last Day.   

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Prayers for the Dead

Published in February 6, 2018

Question: … Dear Sir, … It is silly, of course, to spend a lot of money on funerals and other rituals and customs linked to the burial of the dead, since such rituals and customs have nothing to do with Islam; but is it part of Islam to perform prayers for the soul of the dead person inside a mosque; what do you think? … Thank you …    

Answer:

 There is no such a thing as performing prayers for the soul of a dead person; one is only to pray for the dead person once he/she is buried; these prayers will never benefit the dead person because the record of his/her deeds is closed forever; these prayers are for the sake of the living to pay attention to, and take heed of, death and realize that their turn will come to leave this transient world and die. There are no rituals in Islam regarding burial and funerals at all; we have ridiculed such rituals within an old article of ours.  

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A Question of Inheritance (3)

Published in February 7, 2018

Question: … Dear Sir, … My wife died; she is survived by her son from a previous marriage, myself, her mother, and her grandmother … How the inheritance money is to be divided? …Thank you …

Answer:

 The husband receive 1/4 of the inheritance money, the mother receives 1/6, and the rest is received by the son; the grandmother has no rightful share.   

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He Is God

Published in February 7, 2018

Question: … Dear Sir, … Why does God use the pronoun (He) to refer to Himself in the Quranic text?… Thank you …      

Answer:

 God in the Quran addresses human beings in ways to make them grasp and understand; it is quite impossible to imagine how God looks like. We have mentioned before in an article of ours that the capitalized pronoun (He) in the Quran asserts God's Omnipresence and not a third-person singular absent party, because He is the Watchful, Omniscient Lord who knows all deeds and thoughts of all souls. For further information, we refer you to the subtitled-into-English Episode No. 116 of our YouTube show titled "Quranic Moments", to find answers to your question, found on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQWBaPYGg4Q

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We Thank All of Them

Published in September 4, 2014

Question: … Dear Sir, … I'm so happy that the positive influence of your Quranist trend has reached Egyptian media indirectly; sheikh M. Abdullah Nasr is attacking and refuting the hadiths of Al-Bokhary book; many TV shows in Egypt now criticize openly the Azharite curricula and Al-Bokhary book … Your reform endeavors will never be wasted or be in vain; they will bear fruit sooner or later and the cursed, evil Wahabism will be defeated soon enough … Thank you … 

Answer:

  We thank every person who help undermine and demolish the idol/deity named Al-Bokhary.

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Blasphemous, Devilish Whispers

Published in April 23, 2011

Question: …  Dear Sir, … Sometimesblasphemous, devilish whispers cross my mind about God, which are very insulting to Him; I implore Him daily for forgiveness, but I'm afraid very much lest He should punish me! Any advice?! What am I to do?! … I have a question; does the term (Messenger) refer to Muhammad all the time in the Quranic text or not? … Thank you …

Answer:

  As per our book (in English) titled "The Quran: Sufficient as a Source of Islamic Legislation" found on this link (http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=92), the Quranic term (Messenger) refers to the Quran itself in some contexts and to Muhammad, as he was uttering the Quran, in some other contexts. Muhammad is the first Muslim commanded to obey and follow God's Word. As for your whispers, Satan and devils make all people receive such evil thoughts about God and/or the Quran; real believers must seek refuge in God against Satan and to get busy pondering on the Quran, concentrating in performing prayers within piety, and contemplating God's creation on earth and in the universe.  

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Zakat and Sacrificed Animals

Published in October 24, 2011

Question: …  Dear Sir, … Of course, I agree with your view that Islam does not include any religious feasts of any type; yet, is it OK during any time in the year (away from the pilgrimage season) to slaughter animals to feed the poor as part of Zakat/alms/charity for God's sake? … Some Quranist writers in your great website argue that it is better to leave animals to multiply to make the prices of red meat decrease all year long so that the poor may afford to buy it; i.e., instead of slaughtering the animals en masse during the pilgrimage season by non-pilgrims … What do you think? … Thank you …    

Answer:

 As for the first question, it is OK to do so. As for the second question, one is free to apply this view or not in any country. Yet, we have to clarify a certain point: slaughtering animals within Islam is linked only to three aspects: pilgrimage, zakat/alms/charity money, and to atone for some sins; see 22:28, 22:196, 5:95; 76:8-10, 90:14-18; 58:4, and 5:89. Of course, pilgrimage sacrificial animals are meant to feed pilgrims since God has provided to them the Zamzam water well; yet, surplus meat should be shipped to all poor persons everywhere round the globe regardless of their sex, colors, faiths, races, and nationalities. The pilgrimage season in the Quran comprises the four sacred lunar months of Zu Al-Hijja, Muharram, Saffar, and Rabei Awwal. As for Zakat money, it is to be paid once one gets any money (e.g., salary, harvest, trade profits), and it is a very good idea to offer meat to the poor; they cannot afford it and when they receive money, they spend it on other cheaper food items and they remain deprived of meat.   

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Successors on Earth

Published in August 28, 2014

Question: … Dear Sir, … Since the Muhammadans have discarded, rejected, and abandoned the Quran, does this means that being successors on earth is a Quranic promise that will not apply to them? I mean to refer to these verses: "...the earth will be inherited by My righteous servants." (21:105); "God has promised those of you who believe and do righteous deeds, that He will make them successors on earth, as He made those before them successors, and He will establish for them their religion - which He has approved for them-and He will substitute security in place of their fear. They worship Me, never associating anything with Me. But whoever disbelieves after that - these are the sinners." (24:55) … What do you think?… Thank you …  

Answer:

 The verse 21:105 refers only to winners who will inherit Paradise in the Hereafter; the verse 24:55 refers to events during Muhammad's lifetime; God in the verse 24:55 promises the early believers to grant them security after they were persecuted, and more details of this are mentioned in the Quranic Chapter 8. We have written a lot about this topic. Please read within our archive of writings before posing repeated FAQs.  

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A Predetermined Time

Published in August 21, 2016

Question: … Dear Sir, … I've read your book titled "The Book of Death" … But what does it mean that death is mentioned in the Quran as "appointed time" and "predetermined time"? You have not explained this, I think … Thank you …        

Answer:

 We've explained this in other articles and videos of ours; anyway, we recapitulate here that the Quranic expressions "appointed time" and "predetermined time" refer to the fact that before one is born, it is part of fate preordained by God when, how, and where one will die. One's death cannot be delayed, postponed, or hastened. This applied even to those who get killed, but murderers bear full responsibility for their crime/sin, of course. God says in the Quran: "But God will not delay a soul when its time has come. God is Informed of what you do." (63:11); "...Say, "Even if you Had stayed in your homes, those destined to be killed would have marched into their death beds..." (3:154).