Q and A 5 Islamic Beliefs

(A Mosque in China)

Islamic studies Academy
Study Questions
Q and A Part 5

1. Explain the ruling regarding wearing a bracelet in the case where it is medically established that wearing a bracelet will cure a particular illness.

If it is established medically that wearing a bracelet will cure a particular illness then the matter falls into two issues:

If the wearer believes that the bracelet is independent of Allaah as a cause of cure then this is shirk.

If the wearer believes that it is Allaah who is ultimately gives the cure and the bracelet is only a means for the cure then this is not dissimilar to taking pills to cure particular illness.

2. What were the last words of Prophet Abraham before being thrown into the fire?

Hasbiyallaah wa ni’mal wakeel. Allaah is sufficient for me and He is the Best Disposer of affairs.

3. Mention the Islaamic ruling found in hadeeth texts regarding Qur’aanic talismans.

As for using the Qur’aan like a charm or amulet by wearing or carrying Qur’aanic verses on chains or in pouches to ward off evil or to bring good fortune, there is little difference between such practices and those of the pagans. Neither the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم nor his companions used the Qur’aan in this fashion, and the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم said. “Whoever innovates in Islaam something which does not belong to it will have it rejected.” [1]

4. Discuss the reason for the Prophetic instruction: “There shall not remain any necklace of bowstring or any other kind of necklace round the necks of camels except that it be cut off.”

They believed that it repelled evil eye from the camel. That is a false belief because attachment of a cause to something which is not a legal or natural cause is shirk. Because a cause has been assigned to something which Allaah has not assigned either by ruling or by Qadar. As a consequence the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم ordered that all such necklaces be cut and removed.

5. Explain the ruling concerning ‘ruqaa’ in the hadeeth: “Ruqaaa, tamaa’im and tiwalah are all shirk.”

This refers to ruqaa which contains shirk because the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم approved Qur’aanic ruqaa saying, with regard to Soorah al Faatihah, “What made you know that it is a ruqyah? (Sahih Muslim). ‘Awf ibn Maalik al-Ashja’ee related that they used to do ruqaa in the pre-Islaamic days so they asked: O Messenger of Allah, what is your opinion about it? He replied: “Present your ruqaa to me. For there is no harm in ruqaa which is free from shirk.” (Sahih Muslim). As-Suyootee said: for a Ruqyah to be legal it must meet three conditions:
a. It must be done using Allaah’s words, names or attributes
b. It should be said in Arabic (another language is acceptable as long as it is intelligible).
c. There must accompany it belief that the ruqyah by itself can do nothing. It is dependent on the Divine Decree.

6. How does the evil eye work and what are its two types and what were the prescribed prophetic treatments?

The evil eye work through the agency of the jinn.
Its two types are:
i. Evil eye of humans
ii. Evil eye of Jinns
Treatments
i. Recitation of Soorah al Falaq which contains the seeking of refuge from jealousy.
ii. Drinking truffle water. The Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم was reported by Sa’eed ibn Zayd to have said: “Truffles are a for of manna and their water is a cure for the evil eye” (Bukhari)
iii. Bathing. The Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم recommended bathing with water used by the person suspected to be the source of the evil eye. Ibn Abbaas quoted the Allaah’s Messenger as saying: “If you are asked to take a bath [as a cure] for the evil eye, do it”. (Sahih Muslim).

7. Why did the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم tell Ruwayfee’ that he disowned anyone who braided their beards?

Because it was believed that braided beards can repel the evil eye. Also, braided beard was worn due to pride and haughtiness.

8. Explain the reason why the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم forbade cleaning one’s behind with animal dung and bones.

Animal bones are food for our brothers, the (believing) Jinn. Their dung are fodder for their animals. In the case of dung, which is in of itself not Taahir, what is not pure cannot be used for purification.

9. Is seeking blessings from the Qur’aan shirk? Explain why or why not.

There are two kinds of Barakah[2]: 1) the Barakah of the Dhaat (physical essence) [such as the physical parts of the Prophets and Messengers] and the Barakah of Righteous Actions.

The barakah of physical essence was cut off after the death of the Messenger except what remains of his physical essence after his death (e.g. hair). The barakah of physical essence of the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم can only be obtained if one is upon what they called to (Tawheed and Obedience), and who guide themselves by their righteous actions and who adhere to their commands. The presence of the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم in the battle of Uhud did not benefit the companions due to disobedience of some of them.

The Barakah of Righteous Actions and Following the Messenger. Every Muslim has barakah of action within him to the same extent that he follows the commands and prohibitions of Allaah.
Seeking blessings from the Qur’aan is from the second type, which is getting blessings from it by reading it and implementing it in our lives. Reading it brings blessings because it contains guidance and mercy. It’s every letter contains blessings because reading every letter from it contains rewards.

10. Discuss the Islaamic ruling concerning the rock in the Dome of the Rock (In Palestine).

It doesn’t have any religious significance. People claim that from it the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم ascended into the heavens. It is housed in a structure with a golden dome called the Dome of the Rock. The building was built around the rock in such a way as to give illusion that it is suspended in the air, in support of the fable that it tried to follow the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم as he ascended in the Mi’raaj, but was instructed to stay behind on earth.

11. Explain whether kissing the Yemeni corner of the Ka’bah is permissible or not.

The Sunnah is touching the Yemeni corner, not kissing it. Kissing it is bid’ah.

12. What is the ruling concerning animal sacrifice for other than Allaah?

It is major shirk

13. Discuss the meaning of the word “co-wife” in the following verse from al-booseeree’s ode, “Indeed the world and its co-wife are from your generosity,” and explain the significance of the ode in general.

The ‘Co-wife” here means the life of the hereafter. It means that the life of this world and the hereafter are from the generosity of the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم. The significance of the ode is attributing to the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم characteristics and attributes that belong only to Allah such as generosity of worldly life and after life and attributing knowledge of the preserved tablet as only a part of the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم knowledge thereby leaving nothing for Allaah.

14. Identify three legal forms of sacrifice in Islam.

Hajj which is obligatory
Eid al Adha which is recommended
Aqeeqah also recommended

15. How did the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم explain that a person may curse his own parents?

A man curses another man’s parents and in turn, that man curses back his parents. He initiated this cursing which led to the cursing of his parents. In effect he cursed his own parents.

16. What is the general ruling governing innovation in religion and in life?

As far as religion (worship) is concerned, everything is forbidden unless there is a text from the Sharee’ah that supports it.
Concerning worldly life, everything is allowed unless there is a text in the Sharee’ah that forbids it.

17. Define Nathri (vow) in the Sharee’ah and mention the ruling concerning them.

Linguistically it means “obligation” or “promise”.
Legally it means “obliging oneself to do something for the sake of Allaah which was not already obligatory”.

If the vow were for something already obligatory, it would become doubly obligatory, from the perspective of the vow and from the perspective of the law. The consequence is expiation if the vow was not fulfilled.

18. Briefly explain the difference between a vow of disobedience and a vow to other than Allaah.

Vow of disobedience is a vow that involves something that is not accordance with Allaah’s laws and should not be fulfilled, but it requires expiation.

Vow to other than Allaah is shirk. Fulfillments of vows were commanded by Allaah, and all that Allaah commands are necessarily worship. Further, Allaah praised those who fulfill their vows and promises them rewards. If Allaah promises rewards or praise the doer of such action, it also means that it is an act of worship. Hence making vows are actions of worship. Making vow to other Allaah is therefore shirk.

19. Identify what the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم instructed if someone makes an oath to do something and then finds something better.

The Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم said: “… And if you take an oath and later find something better, then do what is better and make expiation for your oath.”[3]

20. What is the expiation of an unfulfilled vow?

Expiation of unfulfilled vows is the same as with oaths, namely:
i. Feeding ten poor persons according to the average of what you feed your family
ii. Clothing them
iii. Freeing a slave
iv. If unable, then fasting for three days

21. Discuss whether humans can control the Jinn or not

No humans cannot control the Jinns due to the prayer of Prophet Sulaymaan “O my Lord, forgive me and bestow on me a kingdom not allowed to anyone after me,” (38:35)

The Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم said: “Indeed an Ifreet among the Jinn spat on me last night trying to break my prayer. However, Allaah let me overpower him and I wanted to tie him to one of the columns in the mosque so that you all could see him in the morning. Then I remembered my brother Sulaymaan’s prayer: (The above verse)

22. What does the fact that the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم taught that refuge should be sought in Allaah’s Perfect Words indicate?

It indicates that the Qur’aan is not created. Because we cannot seek refuge in something that is created for that would be shirk.

Abu Khalid
[1] Bukhari
[2] The understanding of Tabarruk with Ahlus Sunnah by Salah bin Abdul Aziz bin Muhammad Aal ash Shaikh. www.salafipunlications.com
[3] Bukhari