Fatwas Part One-Hundred-and-Seventeen

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

Superstitions, Pessimism, and Birds

Published in March 6, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … Why pessimism/optimism is linked to birds in the superstitious culture of Arabia before the advent of Islam? … Thank you …    

Answer:

 Within the superstitions of Arabs, they used to release tied/caged birds to see the birds would fly to which direction; if the birds would fly westwards or to their left, this was deemed as ill omen; the good omen was when the birds would fly to the right or eastwards. Thus, sinister birds who brought bad omens were deemed to predict future bad events and made people (or tribes) feel pessimistic, especially in times of war and strife.   

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The Myth of Sufi Baraka

Published in March 6, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … What is the meaning of Baraka (i.e., benediction or blessing) in Sufism? … Thank you …

Answer:

Within their myths, Sufis assume that they draw benediction by worshiping, touching, circling, and venerating mausoleums of their 'saints' who are supposed to work miracles such as bringing help and warding off evil. Sufis make offerings of food items, votive candles, and slaughtered animals to such tombs; this means they deify the dead male or female 'saints' as immortals; this contradicts the Islamic monotheism we find in the Quran.

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The Quranic Term (Rijz)

Published in March 6, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … Would you please explain to me the Quranic term (Rijz) which is repeated in the Quranic text with apparently different levels of meanings? … Thank you …

Answer:

 Its first meaning of the term (Rijz) is polytheism and polytheistic abominations, especially those linked to paganism and the worship of idols; this has been addressed to Muhammad: "And abandon abominations/Rijz." (74:5). The second meaning of the term (Rijz) is torment/plague inflicted by the Lord God on disobedient, disbelieving ones: "Whenever a plague/Rijz befell them, they would say, "O Moses, pray to your Lord for us, according to the covenant He made with you. If you lift the plague/Rijz from us, we will believe with you, and let the Israelites go with you."" (7:134). The disobedient, disbelieving Israelites suffered from the same plague inflicted on them later on: "But the unjust ones among them substituted words other than those given to them, so We sent down on the unjust ones a plague/Rijz from heaven, because of their wicked behavior." (2:59); "But the wicked among them substituted other words for the words given to them; so We sent down upon them a plague/Rijz from the sky, because of their wrongdoing." (7:162). The torment of the wicked people of Lot is also called Rijz: ""We will bring down upon the people of this town a scourge/Rijz from heaven, because of their wickedness."" (29:34); this is explained in the entire Quranic Chapter 105 which is about the torment which destroyed the people of Lot: "Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with the people of the elephant? Did He not make their scheme go wrong? He sent against them swarms of birds. Throwing at them rocks of baked clay. Leaving them like chewed-up leaves." (105:1-5). The third meaning of the term (Rijz) is torment inside Hell in the Hereafter: "As for those who strive against Our Verses, seeking to undermine them - for them is a punishment of a painful plague/Rijz." (34:5); this verse applies to the polytheistic Muhammadans who reject believing in the Quran as the Only Discourse in Islam and assume that the Quran is lacking and needs their hadiths to be 'complete'; e.g., they challenge our person (via email messages and comments) to show them in the Quran the number of Raqas for the daily prayers while assuming that their so-called Sunna hadiths are the source of how to perform prayers. This is asserted further here: "These are God's Verses which We recite to you in Truth. In which discourse, after God and His Verses, will they believe?...This is guidance. Those who disbelieve in their Lord's Verses will suffer a painful torment/Rijz." (45:6-11). The fourth meaning of the term (Rijz) is the evil whispers of Satan, as per this Quranic verse: "He made drowsiness overcome you, as a security from Him. And He sent down upon you water from the sky, to cleanse you with it, and to rid you of Satan's pollution/Rijz, and to fortify your hearts, and to strengthen your foothold." (8:11).

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Stigmata and Stigmatized!

Published in March 7, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … What is being stigmatized as far as religion is concerned? Can this be explained through the Quran? What about the so-called stigmata wounds believed in by some Christians within Christian mysticism? … Thank you …    

Answer:

 As per Wikipedia, the term stigmata refers to the manifestations of bodily wounds, scars and pain in locations corresponding to the so-called crucifixion wounds of Christ, such as the hands, wrists, and feet (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stigmata). This is refuted in the Quran by the assertion that Jesus died a natural death and was never killed or crucified (see 4:157-158). As for being stigmatized in the Christian culture, this is when one is ostracized and disgraced when excommunicated by the church for being a heretic. The religion of the Quran (i.e., True and Real Islam: Qurnaism) contains no such a thing, of course. Within the earthly, terrestrial religions of the Muhammadans, Sunnites and Shiites ostracize and stigmatize those 'apostates' and 'heretics' who profess other faiths or hold other religious views which contradict the mainstream Shiite/Sunnite notions. Sufis assume that disgrace and curses fall upon those who insult or show despise to their entombed saints/deities. Islam contains no notion of being disgraced or stigmatized in this world because of rejecting the Quran; the disbelievers/polytheists who die as such (i.e., without repentance) will be disgraced on the Last Day before and after entering into Hell forever; their blackened faces and fear (see 55:41) will show how disgraced and shamed they are and then they will suffer for eternity inside Hell, without the slightest hope of getting out of it. As for this world, one is free to reject or to adhere to the Quran provided that one is a peaceful person who does not inflict persecution or harm on others. This freedom is the basis of being judged on the Day of Resurrection. This is why all peaceful people are deemed as Muslims in terms of behavior, regardless of their religions/faiths or lack thereof.   

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Peace Is the Criterion

Published in March 7, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … Are the West countries deemed as the abode/camp of disbelievers?! Why some Arabs adhere to such a notion? Is this part of Islam or not?! … Thank you …      

Answer:

 Of course not; peaceful behavior is the criterion to deem others as Muslims or not, even if they reject the Quran and adhere to other religions. Most people of the West are peaceful people who believe in human rights, even if some West governments are warmongers and belligerent ones who sell weapons and launch unjust wars. In contrast, Arab countries of the Muhammadans (especially the Wahabis among them) are filled with hypocrites, liars, and corrupters.

http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=6674

http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=6315

http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=7472

http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=5961

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This Is Impossible

Published in March 7, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … Some people misuse some Quranic verses (e.g., 6:128 and 30:21) and distort their meanings to imply that female jinn (or succubus) can marry human males and male jinn (or incubus) can marry human females. How could such a myth be refuted through Quranism? … Thank you …      

Answer:

 It is impossible that marriage or mating would occur between jinn and human beings; the jinn (and devils and angels) are Barsakh, ethereal creatures that can see human beings but cannot be seen/touched or contacted by human beings.

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Are We to Memorize It?

Published in March 8, 2019

Question:  … Dear Sir, … Are we to memorize the Quranic text? Some people assume that this is hinted as a religious duty here: "...Clear Verses in the hearts of those given knowledge..." (29:49). What is your own view? … Thank you …        

Answer:

 The verse 29:49 does NOT command us to memorize the Quranic text; it simply refers to the fact that those given knowledge are those monotheists who believe in the Quranic verses with all their might within their souls/hearts/minds; they are not among those who deny and disbelieve in the Quran.

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About Joseph and Moses in Egypt

Published in March 8, 2019

Question:  … Dear Sir, … What are the features of the ancient Egyptian civilization which can be inferred from the Quranic stories of Joseph and Moses?  … Thank you …      

Answer:

 We advise you to read our books before you pose repeated questions so that you help save our time; you will find the answer to your question in our book titled "Egypt in the Holy Quran" in its English and French translations, respectively:

http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=97  

http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=154

You will find further information in our book titled (The Israelites in Pharaonic Egypt within a Quranist Vision) in its English and French translations, respectively:

http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=118

http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=143

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The Raven

Published in March 8, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … Most superstitious Arab people hate ravens and assume they bring ill omen; is this true as far as Islam is concerned? … Thank you …   

Answer:

 Of course, there is no pessimism/optimism or good/bad omens in Islam; ravens might be hated because their association with death/murder and burial in this verse about the first murder in human history (i.e., Cain and Abel): "Then God sent a raven digging the ground, to show him how to cover his brother's corpse. He said, "Woe to me! I was unable to be like this raven, and bury my brother's corpse." So he became full of regrets." (5:31). Some Arab people superstitiously hate the black color of ravens; similarly, some Arabs hate owls as harbingers of ill omens or death of someone; yet, owls are signs of optimism in the USA and symbols of wisdom in Greek mythology (i.e., linked to the goddess Athena). Of course, superstitions and mythology of any past and present cultures on earth have nothing to do with Islam which is a religion based on reasoning and the intellectual side of human beings. 

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About the Quranic Verse 4:43

Published in March 9, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … The Lord God says the following in the Quran: "O you who believe! Do not approach the prayer while you are drunk, so that you know what you say..." (4:43). My question is as follows: does the word (say) here mean that we cannot read from the copy of the Quran while praying?! Do I have to memorize the Quranic verses I utter during my prayers? Or is this about saying one's prayers slowly, piously, and reverently and not absentmindedly or monotonically? What is your own view of this? What about the Sunnite testimonies within their prayers?! … Thank you …     

Answer:

 Sunnite testimonies within prayers contain praise of mortals (i.e., Muhammad, Abraham, and the so-called 'saints') in a polytheistic manner; prayers of all monotheists should be dedicated only to the Lord God, praising Him alone. For more details, please read our book titled "Between the Quranic Prayers of Muslims and the Devilish Prayers of the Muhammadans", and watch the episodes about prayers within our subtitled-into-English YouTube show titled "Quranic Moments" (https://www.youtube.com/user/ahlalquran1). Reverence, devotion, and piety, for sure, entail sensing and feeling every single word you utter/say within your prayers while you are addressing the Lord God. You can either pray while reading from a copy of the Quran placed on a book-holder or read Quranic verses from your own memory; one does NOT have to memorize the entirety of the Quranic text.

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May the Lord God Forgive the Repentant Ones

Published in March 9, 2019

Question: …  Dear Sir, … My friend, who lives in Germany but he is from an Arab origin, is so depressed and wants to atone for his sin; he asked me to pose this question to you: he used to love a certain young woman and got engaged to her and he vowed not to touch her (i.e., in the sexual sense of the Arabic term ''touch'') before they are married; the marriage did not take place; my friend kissed her once (on the mouth) months before the engagement was broken. My friend feels bangs of remorse as Satan tempted him and he broke his vow and solemn oath made with the Lord God. How can he atone for his sin? …  Thank you …        

Answer:

 We desire that you tell him to be rest assured that the Lord will forgive him this small sin or mistake/mishap; his repentance seems to be sincere since he is depressed and feels bangs of remorse or pricks of conscience. This repentance should be accompanied by performing lots of good deeds. The Lord God says the following in the Quran: "If you avoid the worst of what you are forbidden, We will remit your sins, and admit you by a Gate of Honor." (4:31).

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Sexual Remarks by a Sheikh!

Published in March 9, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir,  … The sheikh/imam of our local mosque enjoys frequent delivering of sermons about sex (within Sunnite hadiths and fiqh rules) to the audience consisting only of women; this is very insulting and shameful, I think. Is this sheikh right or wrong in his attitude? What is your own view of this?   … Thank you …

Answer:

 This Sunnite sheikh/imam is psychologically disturbed; many Sunnite sheikhs do not tackle such matters in their sermons at all; some other Sunnite sheikhs are obsessed with women and sex. Sadly, many Azharite curricula books (fiqh + hadiths + 'interpretation' or exegeses) tackle sexual topics in a very lewd, rude, coarse manner which is very insulting to men and women. This shows the base, vile nature and low-level bawdiness of the Sunnite religion of Satan.

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The Hoopoe and Solomon

Published in March 10, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … Within the story of Solomon in the Quranic Chapter 27, why does Solomon assumes that the hoopoe might lie or might tell the truth: "He said, "We will see, whether you have spoken the truth, or whether you are a liar." (27:27) despite the fact that animals, birds, etc. are not tested on earth like human beings?! …  Thank you …

Answer:

 The moral lesson of this incident within the Quranic story of Solomon is that one should verify any piece of news one would hear.

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The Queen of Sheba

Published in March 10, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir,  … When the Queen of Sheba saw her throne inside the palace of Solomon (as per 27:42), did she came to Solomon alone or accompanied by her retinue members or viziers of her palace (who are mentioned in 27:32-33)? What do you think? … Thank you …     

Answer:

 First of all, the Quranic stories do NOT focus on mentioning many details, unlike the case within books of history. The focus within the Quranic stories is on the moral lessons drawn by pious monotheists. Yet, as we infer from the general context in the Quranic Chapter 27, we can imagine that the Queen of Sheba came to Solomon's palace along with a train of courtiers and retinue members. The focus within her story is on her conversion to Islam/monotheism. The Lord God says the following in the Quran: "Then he inspected the birds, and said, "Why do I not see the hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees?..."I have learnt something you did not know. I have come to you from Sheba, with reliable information...I found a woman ruling over them, and she was given of everything, and she has a magnificent throne. I found her and her people worshiping the sun...He said, "We will see, whether you have spoken the truth, or whether you are a liar. Go with this letter of mine, and deliver it to them; then withdraw from them, and see how they respond." She said, "O nobles, a gracious letter was delivered to me. It is from Solomon...She said, "O notables, advise me in this matter of mine. I never make a decision unless you are present." They said, "We are a people of might and great courage, but the decision is yours, so consider what you wish to command." She said, "When kings enter a city, they devastate it, and subjugate its dignified people. Thus they always do. I am sending them a gift...He said, "O notables, which one of you will bring me her throne before they come to me in submission?"...When she arrived, it was said, "Is your throne like this?" She said, "As if this is it."...She said, "My Lord, I have done wrong to myself, and I have submitted with Solomon, to God, Lord of the Worlds."" (27:20-44).      

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Costs of A Woman's Self-Repudiation

Published in March 10, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir,  … I have an Arab female friend who is a European citizen and she asked me to pose this question to you; she married in 2008 an Arab man of her native country and he offered her a dowry which is equal to the total sum of 350 Euros at the time; in 2018, years after both she and her husband settled in the EU and spent together the dowry-money and her money resulted from selling her jewelry to settle in the EU, rent a flat, buy food...etc., she demanded divorce and he refused; soon enough, he mistreated her and verbally abused her as he felt insulted by her demand; she had to resort to a court in her native country to seek Khule' or self-repudiation (i.e., ransoming herself and gaining her freedom by returning the dowry to the man to annul the marriage). The question now is as follows: the dowry sum he paid might amount now to the total sum of 500 Euros as the value of the currency of their native country has changed; does she have to return to him his dowry as 350 Euros or 500 Euros? What do you think?  … Thank you … 

Answer:

 She does not have to return any money since she spent her dowry to get a flat and to get food, etc. for both of them as a couple when they first arrived in the EU; in Islam, husbands are supposed to spend on their wives and not the other way round, even if the wife has any money of her own. Wives are not supposed to spend their dowries on their husbands; since she has done this willingly, she does not have to return any dowry-money to her ex-husband when she obtains her divorce through the Quranic law of women's self-repudiation. If some dowry-money remains with her and she did not spend it, she should return the remaining sum as per the former value of the currency of their native country.   

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Quranist Researchers

Published in March 11, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … I am still a student studying law at the university of....... and having converted to Quranism recently, I would like to be permitted to join your great website as one of the Quranist researchers who write articles …  Thank you …    

Answer:

 This is not as easy as it seems; to be a real Quranist researcher who ponders deeply on the Quranic verses to reach new findings and results, you have to accumulate a database of knowledge inside your mind about the Arabic tongue, methodology of the Quranic stories, human rights, and history; this is not to mention a scientific background if you will tackle the miraculous scientific indications in some Quranic verses. Of course, you have to learn how to define Quranic terminology; you have to avoid using Arabic lexicons and dictionaries while tracing and defining Quranic terms. Lastly, you have to (re)read, analyze, and study carefully our archive of books, articles, fatwas, and videos to get the necessary knowledge which will qualify you as a Quranist researcher. Do not be hasty in writing comments within our website; do not waste your time writing unnecessary and uninformative comments or posing repeated questions answered by our person several times.   

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Denying the Penalty for Fornication

Published in March 11, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … Are secular thinkers who deny and reject the Quranic penalty for fornication (i.e., flogging [to be whipped 100 lashes] as per the Quranic verse 24:2) to be deemed as disbelievers who reject the Quran or not? What is your own view?  … Thank you …    

Answer:

 To deny any Quranic verses; e.g. 24:2, is to deny and reject the entire Quranic text and to disbelieve in it; this is disbelief in terms of faith judged only by the Lord God on the Last Day as He will settle all religious disputes among all people; this is not related to Islam in terms of peaceful behavior regardless of one's faith/creed/religion or lack thereof. Not all major sins have punishments exacted by people on sinners in this world; fornication has the Quranic penalty of flogging/flagellation; this is when those addicted to fornication do not repent or repent many times falsely and return to this grave sin confessed by them. By the way, most West countries have their own penalties (e.g., terms spent in prisons) for the crimes of rape and having sex for money (i.e., by sex workers).  

http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=15293

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Acceptable Prayers

Published in March 11, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … How would I know that my prayers are deemed acceptable by the Lord God? Any ideas? … Thank you …  

Answer:

 Firstly, within our Quranist view, acceptable prayers have three signs: (1) when prayers make you avoid sins and when you adhere to a high moralistic level within upright behavior, and this includes sincere monotheism by never sanctifying/deifying things or mortals besides the Lord God, (2), when your prayers include the devotion, piety, and reverence enough to enable you to attain piety all day long and to keep off distracting whispers of the devils which lessen concentration during the performance of prayers, and (3) when you feel all the time that you have not done your best during your prayers: "And those who give what they give, while their hearts quake, knowing that to their Lord they will return." (23:60). Secondly, it is a sad fact that most people do not pray; those few who pray do that absentmindedly. Some hypocrites show off their prayers and are keen on being looked at while praying inside mosques to get known among people and draw financial benefits by pretending to be pious; these are the worst people. Of course, there are those haughty, arrogant sinners who pray in a condescending manner as if their prayers are gifts to the Lord God; they insult the Lord God this way; they never seem to realize that prayers are only for one's own good and benefit in this world and the next; the Lord God does not need anything from anyone.

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Inheriting the Earth by Successors

Published in August 28, 2014

Question: … Dear Sir, … Does Quranic fact in 25:30 that most people have abandoned the Quran imply that these Quranic predictions will not be realized on Planet Earth before the Last Day: "...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..." (24:55)? What is your own view? … Thank you …  

Answer:

 You misunderstand both verses; no one and no group will control the whole Planet Earth as its inheritors; as for 21:105, it shows that the good, pious people will inherit the earth of the Eternal Paradise in the Hereafter. As for 24:55, it is part of the Quranic story of Muhammad and believers with him; they were afraid, weak, and persecuted but the Lord God has promised them security and prosperity later on. We have written many times about both verses in previous articles and fatwas; please read our entire online archive before posing repeated questions.

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Islam Does NOT Contain Stoning Anyone

Published in November 15, 2007

Question: … Dear Sir, …  Please prove to me briefly that Islam has nothing to do with the penalty of stoning someone to death … Thank you …        

Answer:

 Of course, Sunnite contradictory hadiths about stoning have nothing to do with Islam; there is no such a thing as Sunna hadiths in Islam; Islam is the Quran only. The Quran contains no penalty or corporal punishment known as stoning; the crime of stoning someone to death is mentioned ONLY within the contexts of Quranic stories of prophets/messengers and believers with them who were threatened by disbelievers/polytheists with the possibility of being stoned to death; see 11:91, 19:46, 44:20, 36:18, 18:20, and 26:116. Sadly, the polytheistic Sunnite Muhammadans were negatively influenced by the Old Testament and introduced in their Sunnite hadiths and fiqh the idea of stoning to death married fornicators (i.e., adulterers and adulteresses) while wrongly assuming that flogging is preserved only to unmarried fornicators. This is known as ascribing lies and myths to the Lord God's Religion. Patriarchal Sunnite fiqh scholars typically punished mostly women (and few men) by stoning them to death after false and true accusations of adultery; few men suffered this terrible punishment in the history of the Muhammadans. This stoning contradicts the Quran, because all fornicators caught red-handed are to be flogged as per 24:1-2. Yet, it is extremely difficult to prove adultery/fornication using four witnesses; this is why applying the punishment of flogging is not easy and very rare. Besides, the penalty is not exacted in case of sincere repentance declared in public. As per 4:15, women who are of ill-reputation as sex workers are not flogged; they are imprisoned in their houses (until they die or get married) and no visitors/customers are allowed to enter into their houses. As per 24:33, women (free or enslaved) who are forced to become sex workers are not punished at all. We infer from 4:25 that no (un)married (fe)male fornicators are stoned at all. One cannot marry fornicators unless they repent and became no longer labeled as such. For more details, we refer you to our English article in this link below.

http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=2687