Interpreting Dreams in Islam

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A colleague recently asked me about a particularly repetitive dream in which animals such as snakes and lions take turn playing the leading character.

Firstly, dream interpretation is allowed in Islam. I am by no stretch an interpreter of dreams, though I like to exploit the wonderful sources available on the mentioned topic. The authority on Islamic oneiromancy, the Interpretation of Dreams (Tafsiir al-aHlaam, تفسير الأحلام) credited to the great tabi’in Muhammad Ibn Sirin, does give an idea on the possible meanings of dreams. Although it must be noted that the book itself is actually written not by Ibn Sirin himself, but instead by his students, and apparently resembles a collection of what was relayed by Ibn Sirin.

Anyway, back to the dream. Looking at the available resources related to the topics of snakes and lions, not much data can be extracted. In short, basically entities which are regarded as hazards, such as the two wild animals above, mean probable danger of the dreamer. However reading on, it is not all that consistent and simply formulaic.

Firstly, different cultures regard different animals differently. For instance, the interpretation on lion says:

وربما دل على الموت والشدة، لأن الناظر إليه يصفر لونه ويضطرب جنانه ويغشى عليه

I.e. it could mean death and difficulty, because one who looks at the lion becomes cowardly and tremendously fearful. But what if the dreamer doesn’t feel scared of the lion in the dream? Or maybe a snake-lover who dreamt of snakes, whereas snakes are almost always defined as “the enemy”, understandably from the point-of-view of those living in sandy desert areas.

Secondly, the interpreter himself is key to the interpretation. Ibn Sirin was a man known for his tremendous piety, so he knew what he was talking about, and to whom. So just because a collection of his interpretations is available, it doesn’t necessarily mean that everything is there in black and white. Take the following example:

قد يرى اثنان نفس الرؤيا ويكون تفسيرها مختلفا باختلاف الحال، وقد ذكر عن ابن سيرين أنه جاءه رجل فقال له: رأيت أني أؤذن فقال له: ستحج إن شاء الله، وجاءه آخر فقال: رأيت أني أؤذن، فقال له: لعل في نيتك أن تسرق، فقيل له في ذلك، فقال: أما الأول فرأيت في وجهه نور الطاعة، فتذكرت قول الله تعالى: وَأَذِّنْ فِي النَّاسِ بِالْحَجِّ (الحج:27). وأما الآخر، فرأيت على وجهه سواد المعصية، فتذكرت قول الله تعالى: ثُمَّ أَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌ أَيَّتُهَا الْعِيرُ إِنَّكُمْ لَسَارِقُونَ (يوسف:70) ـ

“Two may have seen the same vision and yet interpreted differently depending on the case. It was mentioned from Ibn Sirin that a man came and said to him: ‘I saw that I was performing the adhaan.’ So Ibn Sirin said to him: ‘You will perform the Hajj, Allah-willing.’ And another person came to him and said: ‘I saw that I was performing the adhaan.’ Ibn Sirin replied to him: ‘Perhaps you intend to steal.’ Ibn Sirin was then asked about this and said: “The first man, I saw on his face the nuur (light) of obedience; then I remembered the words of Allah: ‘And proclaim [وَأَذِّنْ] the Pilgrimage among men.’ (al-Hajj:27). The other man, I saw on his face the darkness of sin; then I remembered the words of Allah: ‘Then shouted out a crier [أَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌ]: O ye (in) the caravan! behold! Ye are thieves, without doubt!’ [Yusuf: 70].

In short, it’s not for a topic for armchair experts. This is one for the clean heart and sound knowledge.

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Further reading:

http://muttaqun.com/dreams.html

General law will prevail over fatwa (Pt II): Nuzriah not as a substitute?

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Going through MUIS’ 30-odd pages of deliberation on the fatwa regarding nuzriah and joint-tenancy (where the ownership of a property is shared between two people), I have a sense that the exercise of nuzriah is seemingly recommended only on joint-tenancy properties.

Based on what I read and discussions with some colleagues, the fatwa on nuzriah is presented not as a substitute for the faraidh, but instead as a recommendation specifically on properties which were purchased under joint-tenancy agreements. Basically, this is to avoid disputes on claims of the property when there are still surviving joint-tenants living in the place.

To illustrate:

1. Husband and Wife bought an apartment together as joint tenants.

2. Husband passed away leaving $100,000, and the apartment which costs $400,000. As the Wife owns half of the apartment, the husband’s total estate is the $100,000 cash, and half of the apartment’s value which is $200,000, making it a total of $300,000.

3. Husband also has one brother. According to faraid, the Wife and the Husband’s Brother should split the $300,000 equally, making it $150,000 per person.

4. Now even if the wife gives the Husband’s Brother the $100,000 cash, she still has got to fork out another $50,000. It might be very difficult for her to sell off the apartment and get a new one. Add to that the scenario of the Wife taking care of her parents, or suffering from a disease, or facing other difficulties.

5. As such, the nuzriah is recommended to be exercised on the apartment only, which was bought under joint-tenancy agreement. This is especially useful if the wife and children are still living in the house; one wouldn’t expect them to move out after the father’s death so that it can be sold and divided to other beneficiaries; where would they stay then?

In this sense, I agree that this advantageous approach (of nuzriah) in ensuring the well-being of the immediate beneficiaries (usually the surviving wife and children living in the house), while at the same time allowing the rest of the estate (i.e. the $100,000 cash as in the example above) to be allotted according to the faraidh.

Here’s MUIS’ (ambiguous?) official reply to the matter. As for the deliberation, while from my understanding the MUIS’ paper seemed to incline on limiting the nuzriah for joint-tenancy properties, it stopped short of promoting faraidh for properties purchased otherwise.

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General law will prevail over fatwa

From the national daily:

SINGAPORE’S highest court has ruled that a fatwa – a religious opinion on Islamic law issued by Islamic authorities here – will not bind the court to take the same view.

At best, it is considered only as an expert opinion – like those given by accident reconstruction engineers or forensic scientists in court.

The Court of Appeal made the ruling when it dismissed a move by the administrators of the estate of Mr Obeidillah Salim Talib to declare that a half share of his apartment should be given to his estate for distribution to other beneficiaries like his nephews.

Under civil law, when a joint owner dies, the whole property goes to the surviving joint owner, regardless of his or her contribution to it.

The split is different under Muslim inheritance laws, which provide for half the property to be distributed to the dead owner’s family members such as siblings and others.

The administrators of the estate went to the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) in March 2007 to apply a fatwa to that effect.

But the Court of Appeal has ruled that despite the fatwa obtained from Muis by the administrators, Mr Obeidillah’s widow was entitled to the whole property under civil law.

In reaffirming a decision by the High Court on the inheritance dispute, Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong (above) said: ‘The general law will prevail against the Muslim law on this issue.’

Lawyers and academics told The Straits Times that it was difficult to tell when general law would take precedence over Muslim law as every case before the court is different.

In any case, fatwas are intended to provide ‘moral guidance’ for Muslims.

But the current ruling could have an impact on insurance claims and joint bank accounts held by Muslims.

For example, in joint accounts, the money goes to the surviving owner under common law. But Muslim laws dictate that half the amount should go to the estate.

Lawyer Halijah Mohamad, a former chairman of the Law Society’s Muslim Law Practice Committee, said the current ruling by the Court of Appeal would show ‘the way forward’ for Muslims to make their wishes known regarding their estates.

She said: ‘Joint owners could make a nuzriah, or a vow, to expressly state the share that is to be given to the surviving tenant…They could make clear their intentions as to how they want to dispose of their property when they die, right from the moment they acquire it.’

Mrs Halijah added that while the case involved private property, the impact of the ruling would be felt more by Housing Board flat owners. An HDB spokesman said yesterday about 79 per cent of Malay flat owners are joint owners.

Senior lawyer Nizam Ahmad noted that the fatwa in the present case did also indicate what Muslims could do, through a gift or vow, to put them in compliance with civil law.

It advised Muslim joint owners to make arrangements – such as making the property a gift in the event of their deaths – to make sure the surviving owner would be entitled to the property.

Final-year National University of Singapore law student Aidil Zulkifli, who had written a paper about the declining influence of fatwa as accepted legal opinion in an Association of Muslim Professionals publication last year, said although the fatwa carried no legal weight, it held ‘moral force’ as to what Muslims could do. But he questioned if the value of the fatwa had been weakened by the court’s ruling.

When contacted yesterday, a Muis spokesman said: ‘We are studying the judgment.’

About the case:

BUSINESSMAN Obeidillah Salim Talib died without leaving a will five years ago. The condominium unit in Farrer Road, of which he and his wife were joint owners, was left to his wife.

However, administrators of the late Mr Obeidillah’s estate took the issue to court, claiming half the property belonged to the estate.

They applied to the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) for a fatwa and challenged the widow’s claim to the whole flat. The fatwa stated that in accordance with Muslim law, half the property should be shared among other beneficiaries, including the late tycoon’s nephews.

Among other things, the lawyers for the administrators argued that joint tenancy is unknown to Muslim law and the court has power to distribute the property according to Muslim law.

But the Court of Appeal held that the property is subject to the Land Titles Act and the law cannot be modified to apply Muslim law to a property subject to the Act.

Under a joint tenancy, when a joint owner dies, the property goes to the other one, regardless of how much each had contributed.

The court also noted a fatwa on the Muis website which stated that if Muslim joint owners of a property failed to make any arrangements to deal with the property before one of them dies, then the surviving owner is entitled to only half of the property.

Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong said this is ‘inconsistent’ with the court’s ruling. The death of a joint tenant means the surviving tenant will become the sole owner of the property, he said.

The court made it clear in this case that the general law took precedence over the fatwa, which has no binding effect on the court.

Of course, this isn’t recent news as it this isn’t the first time the court has overruled a fatwa. It is most pertinent to note that a fatwa is non-binding; there is no religious patriarchy is Islam, so a fatwa can easily contradict or be contradicted by another fatwa. It is up to the ruling authority at the time and space to decide on which is more just.

But what is interesting to note is that so far, it seems that all (?) the nuzriah cases have been ruled against its favor; meaning nuzriah is not legally acknowledged, at least in Singapore. So what’s the issue here? In essence, when a Muslim pass away, his wealth will be divided according to the Islamic inheritance law called faraidh, where each heir (family member) acquires a specific amount as stipulated in Islamic law. If a person wants to write a will (called wasiyyah), only a maximum of 1/3 of the wealth can be allocated for it, while the rest (2/3) must be given to the rightful family members according to the faraidh.

This means that a person (pretty much) cannot cross Sibling X from his will, as 2/3 will always be divided according to the faraidh. But what is a person really wants to doesn’t what the money to go Sibling X? That’s where the nuzriah issue kicks in. Basically in order to deprive Sibling X from his share of inheritance,  one must escape the faraidh. And in order to escape the faraidh, one must make sure he has got no money under his name at the time of death. So how does he do that? By giving out the money right before his death through nuzriah.

However here in sunny Singapore, the nuzriah is not accepted by the court, with apparently valid arguments. Judge Mohideen Rubin had already ruled in 2004:

A specific issue that falls for determination concerns an aspect called, “nuzriah”. The term “nuzriah” does not appear or feature in any of the treatises, writings or books published by or attributed to any Muslim scholars or jurists.

However, reviewing all the learning referred to and the arguments presented, I am of the view that inasmuch as the property delineated for the purposes of the so-called nuzriah would not leave the control, possession and ownership of the testator until after his demise, the said nuzriah is no less than a bequest or testamentary disposition to convey an intended but invalid gift to the persons named (mostly legal heirs), and it plainly transgresses the restrictions imposed by Muslim law. The phraseology employed in the nuzriah segment of the will declaring that the property had already been given away to the proposed devisees three days or an hour before the death of the testator is a textual anachronism and does not convert a myth or fiction into reality, nor do the words referred to render the devise as that of a transaction completed during the testator’s life…

…[M]y conclusion is that the portion ear-marked as nuzriah is void not only on account of its discordance with the principles of Muslim law relating to inheritance but also because of the said segment’s inherent uncertainty.

That being said, it seems the person-in-charge nevertheless has an upbeat outlook for the nuzriah.

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Further reading:

General law will prevail over fatwa (pt II): Nuzriah not as a substitute?

Newborn and Childbirth: A Note for the Muslim Dads

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Here are some things in which books and corrigenda have skipped me. While these points below are meant for the dads, all these sunnah can also be performed by the mother as well.

Note: There are no hadiths included in this post. For more details on the relevant adillah and arguments, click on the corresponding links provided below.

1. Always pack a date (the fruit) in your wife’s the maternity bag. Tahnik /تحنيك (putting something sweet in the baby’s mouth) should be one of the first things done right after birth (see here, and also Ibn Qayyim’s تحفة المودود بأحكام المولود pg 11). Amidst all the rush and disorganization of receiving a newborn, bringing a single date at the last minute is easily forgettable. So just keep it packed early in that bag.

2. Once the wife is about to go into labour, remember to place that date in your pocket. And keep your hands clean.

3. It will be best if you can join her and the doctors in the operating theater/delivery room. If not, just make a note to the nurse that you are a Muslim and have to perform some post-natal rites immediately after birth. They will oblige and call you once the baby is cleaned up.

4. Adhan and iqamah: Once you receive your newborn, perform the adhan on the right ear, and the iqamah on the left. Remember that you don’t have to shout as you are performing it on a newborn baby, not a congregation in a mosque. Up to you to whisper or perform it in your normal voice.

5. Tahnik: Once you are done, take out that date and bite a small chunk off it. Chew it well into a paste and use your clean finger to remove the paste from your mouth. Place that paste inside your newborn’s mouth. With your finger, move that paste around so it touches the baby’s tongue, roof of mouth, inside of cheeks, etc. Avoid being over-enthused and push it too deep as you do not want to induve vomit on the poor baby.

What to use for tahnik in order of most preferred: a) dry date; b) fresh date; c) anything sweet, such as honey fruit nectar (?) etc. Do note that honey is not recommended for babies under 1 year old because it may cause serious illness.

For those interested in the health benefits of performing tahnik, read more here.

6. There, you are done for the day. The next rite will be on the 7th day. In the meantime, enjoy 6 nights of sleep deprivation.

7. On the 7th day: Shave the head as clean as you can. Weigh the shaved hair and donate the weight in silver. For example, if there are 5gms of hair, you should donate 5gms of silver or its monetary equivalent. While you can always convert it to gold to donate more, it seems to me the hadiths indicated silver.

Sidenote: 7th day should correspond to the Islamic lunar calendar; a new day starts every sunset, not sunrise.

So if your baby is born on 1 January at 3pm, the seventh day will start at the sunset of 6th January, and ends at sunset of 7th January.

However if he is born on 1 January at 9pm, the seventh day will be from the sunset of the 7th until the sunset on the 8th.

Now, how do you go about shaving a baby’s fragile head clean?

a) First, make sure the baby’s well-rested, like after he’s sleeping or just after he had a full serving of milk.

b) Keep things cool and dry to minimize baby’s agitation. Do it in a cool, well-lit area. Some would apply baby powder on his head.

c) Use an electric shaver, the type the barbers use. Preferably, start on the right side, before moving on to the left. Shave as close as you can to skip the next step.

d) Only for the pros: If you want to be thorough, you can follow up with a proper shave. To do so, apply mild shaving cream and shave as you would. Make sure the skin is pulled taut, because a single cut will hurt you more than it hurts him. I’m sure of that.

8. Aqiqah (slaughtering sheep on behalf of the baby) should also be done on the 7th day when possible. Unfortunately we in the city-states do not have that option, so it is usually postponed to Eid al-Adha, when there will be sheeps available.

a) How many sheeps? One if its a girl, two if its a boy. It is preferable to cook the meat, invite guests over, and serve it to them. You may include friends, relatives, neighbours, Muslims or otherwise. Just do not profit from the meat (e.g by selling it).

b) You should also give the meat to the poor.

c) One forgotten sunnah is to give a part of the (preferably cooked) meat to the person delivering the baby. This could be the midwife, obstetrician, gynae, the team of nurse, etc. Think of it as as an awesome thank-you card in the form of food. Everyone loves food. And it shows how wonderful our religion that appreciate those (i.e. healthcare workers) who helped us during this important time.

10. Circumcision: Most parents seem to recommend doing it very early (as in before a month or two), as the baby moves very little and therefore heals faster. Circumcision is prescribed for boys. Opinions of circumcisions for girls generally falls on sunnah or wajib, but only when it doesn’t lead to genital mutilation. And only have reputable doctors do it, please. (Read more here: Sheikh Qaradawi’s view, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, ختان الإناث.. دعوة للتفكر ,ختان الإناث )

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Further Readings:

Manners of Welcoming the New-Born Child in Islam

أحكام تحنيك المولود

تحنيك المولود سنة نبوية و فوائد طبية

Benefits of Solat aD-DuHa

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What is the DuHa prayers, you ask? Sunnah prayer done in the morning, consisting of 2 rakaats at least. The benefits are, I would humbly point out, tried and tested, maa shaa’ Allah.

وعن نعيم بن همار رضي الله عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: يقول الله تعالى: ابن آدم، لا تعجزني من أربع ركعات من أول نهارك أكفك آخره

“Allah Ta’ala says: Son of Adam, don’t neglect four rakaats of the start of the day, I will suffice you its end (i.e. end of the day).

– aT-Tabrani (Sanad)

Also:

عن أبي الدرداء وأبي ذرِّ ( رضي الله عنهما ) عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : ” عن الله تبارك وتعالى أنه قال : ابن آدم، اركع لي أربع ركعاتٍ من أول النهار أكفك آخره

“From Allah Tabaaraka wa Ta`ala, He said: Son of Adam, bow to me 4 rakaats at the start of the day, I will suffice you its end.”

– adh-dhahabi, et al. (Sanad)

And, following the sunnah of our Prophet ﷺ:

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أنه قال :  أوصاني خليلي بثلاثٍ : صيامِ ثلاثةِ أيامٍ من كل شهر ، وركعتي الضحى ، وأن أوتر قبل أن أنام

“From Abu Hurairah, he said: My khalil (the person most loved, i.e. Muhammad ﷺ) advised me three (things): Fasting three days every month, two rakaats of DuHa, and to perform witr before I sleep.”

-al-bukhari (Sanad)

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Further reading:

When Can One Pray Salat al-Duha? (sunnipath.com)

Salat Ad-Duha (by GF Haddad)

صلاة الضحى (saaid.net)

صلاة الضحى وفضلها (islamadvice.com)

Questions on Tarawih and Witr

In Ramadan, the night is filled with prayers and devotion to the Creator. After performing the terawih/tarawih prayers (صلاة التراويح), witr (صلاة الوتر) is the usually the final prayer of the night. Here are some quick pointers.

1. When can I  perform tarawih?

Anytime between Isya’ and Subuh. (Source)

2. How many rakaat is tarawih performed?

Any number, as long as it is in multiples of two. But 8 or 20 is preferred. (Source 1, 2)

3. Must I perform tarawih in the mosque?

While praying in jama’ah in a mosque is better, one can also do it at home. (Source)

4. Minimum rakaat of witr?

One. But three is preferred. (Source)

5. Maximum rakaat of witr?

Eleven. (Source)

6. When do I perform the qunut for witr in Ramadan?

According to the al-Shafi’e mazhab, on the second half of Ramadan, i.e. starting on the 15th night onwards. (Source 1, 2)

7. After praying witr, can I perform other prayers in the same night?

Yes.

Long answer: (Translated from source)

Originally, one concludes that his prayers at night with the witr, following the saying of the Prophet ﷺ:

اجْعَلُوا آخِرَ صَلَاتِكُمْ بِاللَّيْلِ وِتْرًا

“Make your last prayer at night witr.”

– Bukhari et al.

If a person prayed witr and following that he intends to pray more, there is no harm in doing so. But he shouldn’t repeat the witr, as the Prophet ﷺ said:

لَا وِتْرَانِ فِي لَيْلَةٍ

“No two witr in one night.” (I.e. do not perform witr twice in a night)

– Abu Dawud et al.; categorized sahih by al-Albani

Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmu’ (المجموع):

إذا أوتر ثم أراد أن يصلي نافلة، أم غيرها في الليل، جاز بلا كراهة، ولا يعيد الوتر

“If a person performed the witr, and then he wants to pray the nafilah (i.e. sunnah prayers), or any other prayers at night, it is permissible and not makruh, (but) he should not repeat the witr.”

Meanwhile if he purposely performed the witr earlier in the night, while knowing that he will perform other prayer later at night, that is still allowed, though it is considered makruh, as was stated by the Malikis.

The reason for it being makruh is the intent (to perform the later prayers) even before starting the witr (knowing that witr should be performed last).

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اجعلوا آخر صلاتكم بالليل وتراًاجعلوا آخر صلاتكم بالليل وتراً

Cover Up Ladies, Men are Stupid!

Debates over the hijab and aurah/aurat have been going for ages.

For those who are unconvinced on the obligation to cover themselves up, here’s another reason to do so. For the sake of men’s intelligence.

Talking to an attractive woman really can make a man lose his mind, according to a new study.

…[R]esearch shows men who spend even a few minutes in the company of an attractive woman perform less well in tests designed to measure brain function than those who chat to someone they do not find attractive.

Researchers who carried out the study, published in the Journal of Experimental and Social Psychology, think the reason may be that men use up so much of their brain function or ‘cognitive resources’ trying to impress beautiful women, they have little left for other tasks.

The findings have implications for the performance of men who flirt with women in the workplace, or even exam results in mixed-sex schools.

But aren’t men supposed to cover up too? Won’t women be affected if she is swooned by the opposite sex?

Women, however, were not affected by chatting to a handsome man.

This may be simply because men are programmed by evolution to think more about mating opportunities.

(Source)

Of course, men have always been reminded to lower their gaze and avoid unnecessary attraction when in company of the ladies:

قُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْ ذَلِكَ أَزْكَى لَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ

“Tell the male mu’min (believers) to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.). That is purer for them. Verily, Allâh is All-Aware of what they do.”

(An-Nuur:30)

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Further reading: نصيحة تعين المسلم والمسلمة على غض البصر

Playing Soccer = No Need to Fast?

Last week, it was reported in the locay Malay daily that a fatwa by the Dar al-Ifta, the fatwa body for Egypt, allows soccer players to break their fast.

Institusi agama tertinggi Mesir telah membenarkan pemain pasukan bola sepak negara itu tidak berpuasa agar dapat membuat persiapan bagi satu perlawanan antarabangsa.

…Menurut fatwa yang dikeluarkan oleh institusi agama tertinggi Mesir, Dar al-Ifta, para pemain ‘dibenarkan berbuka puasa’ agar ibadah itu tidak menjelas latihan mereka bagi membuat persiapan menghadapi pertandingan sedunia itu, kata jurucakap Persatuan Bola Sepak Mesir, Encik Alaa Abdel Aziz.

…Fatwa itu menjelaskan ‘seorang pemain yang tertakluk di bawah kontraknya dengan sebuah kelab, bertanggungjawab menjalankan tugasnya dan jika pekerjaan itu sumber mata pencariannya dan jika beliau perlu mengambil bahagian dalam pertandingan semasa bulan Ramadan dan dengan berpuasa ia boleh menjejas kelakonannya, beliau lantas dibenarkan berbuka’.

…Fatwa itu bagaimanapun menimbulkan kemarahan sekumpulan cendekiawan agama, Barisan Cendekiawan Azhar.

…’Bermain bola ialah satu permainan. Ia bukan sebahagian penting kehidupan yang mewajarkan seseorang itu berbuka puasa semasa Ramadan,’ kata kumpulan itu.

For those who are interested, here is the fatwa and its counter-statements from other scholars: (As translated from source)

* Dar al-Ifta’s Fatwa: “Any employee or laborer who faces difficulty by fasting or is weakened at work, as stipulated in the Hanafi jurisprudence (فقه الحنفية) that whoever is employed for his service to a known duration – which is verified here as both play and work contracts – and then comes (the fasting month of) Ramadan, and he is affected by fasting at work, he may be allowed to break his fast even if he has enough, with emphasis that this provision is for matches that are inevitable for the player.

* Reply from al-Azhar Scholars Front: “Playing football is not a necessity of life which allows relief or dispensation (يرخص) of breaking of fast, and it is not among the matters which are considered to be burdens (تكاليف) of this religion, since everybody has the right to play (soccer) as entertainment, and not as an occupation or job.” The Front mentioned that playing is not a message (رسالة) and not a function which the law allows anyone to perform as a livelihood, (especially) one which Allah has sent no authority on.

The Front said in its statement: “The matter is serious and should not to be undertaken with complacency or humour. The dilution/homogenization (التمييع) (of religious law?) is the most serious issue our religion is suffering from now, and this dilution/homogenization is the most deadly weapon that is being used in fighting today. The capital of a Muslim is his religion – as said by Abdullah bin Al-Mubarak – it is not to be left behind in journeys, nor to be entrusted to men. ”

* Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi: Islam does not allow the breaking of fast for laborers who face hardship. Instead,  it is clear and explicit that the breaking of fast is only allowed in cases of travel and illness.

* The opinion of Sheikh Khalid al-Jundi: It is not permissible to place soccer above the Shari’ah, instead the universe should adhere to the Shari’ah. I really do not know whether that is the compromise that we pursue together, and I wonder how Al-Azhar issues such a fatwa which is extraneous to the law.

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The Epitome of Interest

(Image credit)

The image above is from a blog posted last year. The picture notes the clear difference in the marketing strategy to attack attract the Malay demography. While the national standard seems to be “know the full price before you commit”, the Malay standard have been condensed to “$xx only per week”.

Pity the Malays. The vast majority of whom are Muslims, are also the milked cows for the profit of corporations. True, the religion teaches them to spend within their means, warned them against idolizing trivial trends, and prohibits them from getting involved in riba: usury or interest, be it on items borrowed or purchased.

Different what is being preached, different what is being practiced. The issue of borrowing money to finance some purchase or necessity has been long in existence. Circa 1400 years ago, the final Prophet ﷺ had warned against getting involved in such interest when borrowing, giving its ruling as forbidden. But after 14 centuries, we see the same thing giving problems to those who ill-manage their money.

Interest, usury, or riba, all are of the same name. The Qur’an has stated its prohibition clearly

الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ الرِّبَا لا يَقُومُونَ إِلا كَمَا يَقُومُ الَّذِي يَتَخَبَّطُهُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنَ الْمَسِّ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا الْبَيْعُ مِثْلُ الرِّبَا وَأَحَلَّ اللَّهُ الْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّبَا

““Those who devour usury will not stand except as stands one whom the devil by his touch has driven to madness. That is because they say: Trade is like usury. But Allah has permitted trade and forbidden usury…” (2:275)

Recently, community leaders have mentioned – while understandably sidestepping the issue of riba – another factor closely related to similar financial interactions, which is the long-term monetary commitment. Such commitments may lead to other, more important priorities being rendered peripheral, such as education.

…Concerned Malay MPs and community leaders are taking unusual steps this year to get a simple message across: Spend within your means, save for your children’s education.

A series of radio advertisements encouraging families to ‘Bijak Belanja’ (spend wisely) will air during the Ramadan fasting month, which starts on Aug 22, at the time of the morning call to prayer and the evening prayer ahead of breaking the fast.

For those who are unfamiliar, the same source lined out the attraction behind monthly installments.

Under such schemes, buyers pay by instalments instead of a lump sum. Big-ticket items are more affordable because of the lower monthly payments but overall, a buyer ends up paying more for the item because of interest payments.

The proliferation of purchasing the latest non-essential items has turned into a sarcastic Malay joke; if the home of some Malay doesn’t have an LCD television or some kind of home theatre system, then it is not a “true” Malay home. The importance of having the latest big-screen TV and entertainment system, which has now evolved into the obsession for the latest car accessories and handheld gadgetries, epitomizes the sad state of affairs for those who find pride in such items.

Sadly, I’ve been to a gathering where the homeowner was engaged in the discussion of why he proudly chose a Samsung Series 6 TV (or whatever it is called) as opposed to other TVs; this, bearing in mind that the homeowner still owe his audience a considerable amount of money.

While not understanding that their actions are being the butt of jokes, the trivial understanding of the issue is further compounded by the their showering of PSPs and handphones to their offsprings, and the purchase of jewelleries on installments (famously heard on radio: “pakai dulu bayar kemudian” – wear now pay later). While it is still very much a family affair, such irresponsible spending of money claims newer, weaker victims through peer pressure and the fear of being looked down upon.

Within Grasp

One factor of the problem is due to the availability of financial instruments to fulfill one’s desires. Such instruments, with banners promising payment starting in 2010 and $0 downpayment, is but a marketing gimmick which has been in existence for ages. But the increasingly so-called affluence of the Malays makes the instruments freely available within their reach.

Previously, lack of higher education means that the annual yearly income hover below the $30,000-per-annum standard to obtain credit. But now, after obtaining the diploma or degree, the $30k.p.a. isn’t really a rarity. The hand grabs what the heart desires. And the thirst Son of Adam will never be fully quenched.

لو كان لابن آدم واديان من مال لابتغى واديا ثالثا ، ولا يملأ جوف ابن آدم إلا التراب

“If the Son of Adam had two valleys of riches, he would ask for a third, for the cavity of the Son of Adam cannot be filed except with dust (i.e. he will never be satiated until he is dead).”

-Narrated by al-Imam Muslim

So as long as visitors and friends give that polite compliment, it’s worth it?

Buffet Spread

Another factor – even more vital perhaps – is the lack of religious education, combined with the lack of emphasis on the importance of spending within their means, aka the aspects concerning what some would term the  “essence of the religion” – matters which are taught not as rules and regulations, but mentioned as the attributes of the wise or characteristics of the scholars. But really, it’s actually just common sense.

While Islam has a holistic approach on life and lifestyle, ranging from everything to what to eat, wear, and spend, its followers still focus on the “regulation aspects” and decide to pick-and-choose which part of it they want to follow.

A non-Muslim friend commented that she always see Muslims abstain from pork and observe the Ramadan fast. But she doesn’t understand why they still do not cover up their ‘awrah, or refuse to perform the five daily prayers, or consume alcohol after dinner.

Giving the benefit of a doubt, I would say: “Well, maybe these people are new Muslims; perhaps they are just starting to learn about their religion.”

Confused, she would say: “But I thought Muslims believe in Allah? If they do, why don’t they follow His rules? You know, it’s not like God needs to reason his commands.”

Maybe she’s right. The religion we see now, after being practiced by our elders for so long, is increasingly being seen as a culture. While culture is usually more inclusive to others while at the same time giving some sense of belonging, the caveat is that – unlike religion – it can be changed, plucked, mixed and matched at whim.

The famous ketupat can be changed with lontong, the rendang with another dish, the pelita (candle lights) with electronic ones, and the list goes on. That’s culture for you. For religion, no mix and match dicated by fickleness; it must be based on religious basis and canonical principles.

Nevertheless, some Muslims are most known for abstaining from pork, but apparently not drinking. Most observe fasting, yet forget the five daily prayers. Almost all solemnize marriage religiously, even in mosques, but not all cover their ‘awrah.

Such is the epitome of the interest. The prohibition of riba and usury is clear, and interest is just another name. Perhaps as it is not both religiously and culturally inculcated in Malay-Muslims like the prohibition on consuming pork, it leads to most still being unaware that they need to give away the monthly interest in their bank account. Many still see fixed-deposits as nothing wrong, just as buying the shares of conventional banks, and profiting from their generous dividends.

Perhaps more focus needs to be given to educate Muslims on these issues. True, basic understanding of the religion starts with the five tenets such as solat (prayers) and zakat (tithe), but other aspects of the religion shouldn’t be neglected too.

Religion is not like a buffet spread.

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1:50 Ratio

I’m sure most Muslims have hear about the signs of the end of days. Ranging from the spread of vice and war, the opulance of sex, to the emergence of the saviour.

And among these signs are also the paucity of man, leading to women outnumbering their counterpart.

From Anas ibn Malik (RA):

لأحدثنكم حديثا لا يحدثكم أحد بعدي سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول من أشراط الساعة أن يقل العلم ويظهر الجهل ويظهر الزنا وتكثر النساء ويقل الرجال حتى يكون لخمسين امرأة القيم الواحد

“I will narrate a hadith which no one shall narrate after me. I heard Allah’s Apostle ﷺ said: “From among the portents of the Hour: General ignorance (in religious affairs), illegal sexual intercourse (zina) will prevail, the increase of the number of women and the decrease of men so much so that for every fifty women there will be one man to look after them.”

– al-Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Majah, Ahmad, et al.

While the ratio of men to women is roughly the same at birth, the lifespan of a woman is generally longer. Some say the ratio will be fulfilled through major wars, as more men are killed and the ratio will be adjusted.

Now, evolution may also also support this, as a recent report states that

This rapid evolution of the Y chromosome has led to a dramatic loss of genes on the Y chromosome at a rate that, if maintained, eventually could lead to the Y chromosome’s complete disappearance.

Of course, it also mentioned that it may take a few million years for all the Y chromosomes to disappear in its entirety.

Others might disagree; the 1:50 ratio may not necessarily be indicative of the physical number of females to male, but perhaps the ratio of responsible males to the number of females. The word قيم means a custodian, a guardian, who watches over for the woman and guards and protects her. Someone responsible for her.

Or, simply, the number is just a metaphor. Another hadith narrated by Abu Musa stated that the ratio is 1:40 (read here), simply meant to imply the great disparity betwen the number of males and females.

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Further reading:

Fath al-Baarii