ummtaalib

Zakaat on GoodsQ: Is zakaat compulsory on goods? A: Zakaat is compulsory upon those goods which are purchased with the intention of resale and an entire lunar year passes upon it. (أو نية التجارة ) في العروض إما صريحا ولا بد من مقارنتها لعقد التجارة كما سيجيء أو دلالة بأن يشتري عينا بعرض التجارة (شامي 2/267) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

By Imam Al-Qurtubi Death is not the absolute end. It is just the discontinuation of unity between the body and soul. It is a change from one state to another and a transition from this present life to that of the hereafter. The purpose of our existence is the worship of Allah as mentioned in the Book of Allah: “And I created not the Jinns and Men except that they should worship Me ” Soorah az-Zariyat (51): 56 This life, which we are living, is the testing ground for which there shall be only two consequences, Paradise or Hellfire. Unfortunately more than often we disregard death, as we are so attached to this world and the love of which has been established in our hearts. “Certainly, they see it as distant, but We see it as near” Soorah al-Ma’arij (70): 6-7 Death only becomes a reality when a close beloved one dies. The heart feels heavy, the eyes shed tears and there is, at that moment, a present fear of death. If we were to spend even a single moment each day thinking about death, it would bring forth many concerns? The greatest being our Hereafter: ”He Who has created death and life, that He may test you, which of you is best in deed.” Al-Mulk (67):21 So we stop and consider what we are doing with our time and where we are heading, and then realize that much of it is wasted in light talk, in laughing, in pursuing that which is not going to benefit our Hereafter. “This World in comparison with the world to come is just like one of you putting his finger in the sea. Let him consider what it returns with.” (Muslim) The Prophet Muhammad (sallahu alihi wa-sallam) explained how this world is not even worth the wing of a mosquito! And how small is a mosquito, and then the wing of a mosquito- so what is the worth of the world we run after and are dearly attached to? The Messenger of Allaah (sallahu alihi wa-sallam) referred to death as ‘the destroyer of desires.” [sunan at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah) Because when each one of us remembers the awesome reality of death and what is to follow after that, our present desires and wordy concerns seem so insignificant and futile, and the life of the Hereafter becomes our goal and we become interested in the means to attain that goal. “But truly the home of the Hereafter is the actual life, if only they knew.” (Soorah al-Ankabut (29):64) “Live in this world as if you are a stranger or a traveler.” (Saheeh al-Bukhari ) Does a traveler waste his time in gathering that which is of no benefit for his journey? Or does he immediately select that which shall facilitate him to reach his goal? In the same way, we too must get into the good habit of striving to do as much as we can today and everyday, not putting off things for tomorrow, or after exams, or the age of sixty. . ! “If you survive till the evening do nor expect to be alive in the morning and if you survive till the morning, do not expect to be alive in the evening. And take from your health for your sickness and from your life for your death.” [saheeh al-Bukhari vol.8, p.284, no.425] “And die not except in a state of Islaam” Soorah al-Imran (3):102 So we keep our hearts moistened and alive with remembrance of Allaah, and we remember death in order to remember the Hereafter, and finally we close with a citation from Imaam ash-Shaafi’ee: “O my soul, it is not except a few days patience, As if her extent were a few dreams. O my soul pass quickly on through this world, And leave it, For indeed life lies ahead of it.” Taken from Paradise and Hell-fire (At-Tadhkirah Fihw Alil Mawta Wal-Akhira) islaaminfo

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Every parent desires the best for his child. In fact, it is only parents and perhaps some educators that would wish for their children and learners better than what they themselves enjoy. In modern times the best is reduced to the “Best comforts of the world.” The ‘best’ car, the ‘best’ house, the ‘best’ profession, the ‘best’ shop, etc. Each of the ‘bests’ mentioned pertain to the world that is here now. Islam does not advocate being hermits or abandoning the world but at the same time Islam teaches us to be mindful of the life of the hereafter. In fact, it would not be incorrect to say that Islam lays greater stress on preparation of the life of the hereafter than the ephemeral and transitory life of this world. It is necessary for all parents to focus their attention on providing ‘the best’ for their off-spring for the hereafter. An important, rather essential element for achieving this ‘best’ is consuming of the Halaal and the pure. The modern mother oftentimes is lazy to cook thus subjecting her children to ‘take-away’ foods. This is a most harmful practice and could lead to the spiritual ruin of one’s beloved children. Thought provoking incident of the king of Afghanistan The former rector of the world renowned Darul Uloom in Deoband, Hakimul Islam Hazrat Qari Muhammad Tayyib Sahib (A.R.), whilst delivering a lecture, explained the importance of feeding one’s children Halaal and pure and abstaining from the doubtful with the following incident: I remember an incident which apparently appears to be very simple but portrays a great lesson for the intelligent ones. It concerns Amir Dost Muhammad Khan Sahib, the king of Afghanistan. He was the father of Amir Abdur-Rahman Khan Sahib and the paternal grandfather of Amanullah Khan Sahib. He was a very pious king whose talks were proverbial. On one occasion, when he entered the palace showing signs of anguish, grief and sadness, the queen asked him, “Why do I see you so sad today”? He replied, “News of a great tragedy has reached me and that causes me this grief. The sad news is that when an enemy had attacked the borders of Afghanistan I dispatched our son with an army to defend. The depressing news is that our son has been defeated. He is retreating and fleeing the battlefield. The enemy is advancing on his heels, conquering vast tracts of land. Now I am afflicted with 2 problems: I have lost the kingdom, and my son is returning defeated, showing signs of cowardice. This blemish will remain with me till death that my son is weak and a coward.” The queen responded, “All those reports are incorrect, totally false! My son will never ever flee from the battlefield. It is possible for him to become a martyr but showing his back to the enemy and returning is impossible. That information is false.” The king then explained, “This information is from the Government’s Intelligence Services.” She replied, “They are all liars!” Thereafter, the king remained silent, thinking to himself, “Who will explain to this woman, she does not understand the affairs of the government and she has branded all of them as liars?” On the following day, when the king returned home, the queen asked, “What’s the matter, today you seem very happy?” He replied, “What you had said has turned to be true. In fact, our son has vanquished the enemy and is returning home after driving them out entirely.” The wife remarked, “Alhamdo-lillah! My words have proved to be true.” The king then enquired, “How did you proclaim, with such confidence and certainty, that our son could not have been defeated? Did you receive Divine Inspiration?” “She replied, “I am a woman. How can I receive Divine inspiration? Also, I am a queen living amongst all these luxuries, so how can I acquire such exaltation?” The king further asked, “How then was it possible for you to express with so much conviction that all the information conveyed to me had been false?” The queen responded, “That is a secret which I do not like to divulge.” The king was bewildered and curious to know the secret which his wife, the queen, was concealing from him. Therefore, he persisted and claimed that there should be no secret between husband and wife and asked her, “Who is a greater bearer of the Queen’s secret than the King?” He was insistent with his inquiry due to which she was forced to disclose her secret. She then explained, “When I had conceived your son, the prince, I had promised Allah that I would never allow any doubtful morsel to enter my stomach. Hence, from the affluence of your kingdom I did not even take a single penny. Moreover, I did not even take anything from your personal earnings and salary. Instead, I began sewing topis [hats]. These I sold and sustained myself from its income. For full nine months I lived a life of absolute piety, consuming only Halaal food.” “Thereafter, when your son was born, instead of handing him over to a wet-nurse I personally breast-fed him. I also extended my pledge for a further 2 years and ensured that no doubtful substance entered my stomach. In that manner, with the efforts of my handcraft, I earned and consumed only Halaal. Furthermore, whenever your son cried for milk, I first made wudhu, performed 2 rakaats of nafl Salaah, supplicated to Allah and only then breast-fed him.” Good deeds are not accepted by Allah Rasoolullah Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has said, “Whosoever bought a garment for 10 dirhams of which one dirham had been Haraam (unlawfully obtained), then Allah will not accept any of his Salaah as long as that garment is on his body.” (Mishkaat) Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abbas (R.A.) narrated that, on one occasion, the following verse was recited in the presence of Rasoolullah Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam: “O People! Eat from the earth, Halaal and pure.” Thereafter, Hazrat Saad ibn Abi Waqaas Radhiyallaahu Anhu requested the Nabi Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam to make Du’aa to Allah that he becomes a “Mustajabud Dawaat” [one whose du’aas are always accepted]. Rasoolullah Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam replied, “O Saad, make your food Halaal & Pure and you will become “Mustajabud Dawaat”. By the Oath of that Being in whose control is the life of Muhammad Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, whenever a servant places a Haraam morsel into his stomach, then for forty days no good action of his will be accepted, and whosever’s flesh is nourished by Haraam wealth then that flesh is more suitable for Hell.” (Ibn Katheer) Consuming Haraam has an evil effect upon one’s children Hazrat Shaik Ibraheem Shabrkhaytee Maaliki (A.R.) states: Once a person went to visit a Saint of Allah [a Wali] he was met at the door by a youngster in a very haughty manner. The visitor greeted him in the formal Islamic manner but the arrogant youth ignored him and did not respond. The visitor was quite astonished and enquired about his attitude from some people (who were around). They informed him that he was the son of the Saint whom the visitor had travelled to meet. When the Shaikh came out, the visitor was surprised to behold a most humble man with very good manners. Immediately, the thought crossed the mind of the visitor concerning the disparity between such a pious, saintly man and his insolent and disrespectful son. The visitor was unable to contain himself and enquired of the Saint about the pathetic behaviour of his son. The Saint responded by saying that one should not be surprised by this situation. He went on to explain that once, when he had been hungry for several days his neighbour became aware of it. That neighbour had been very close to the king of the time so he fetched some food from the king’s palace for the Saint. After eating that food, the Saint had an intense desire of fulfilling his sexual urge. He shared the bed with his wife and that arrogant child was the outcome of that act of copulation. The position of our Pious Predecessors had been such that if any doubtful substance entered their stomachs, they used to forcefully vomit it out. In fact, due to doubts they even refrained from many Halaal edibles also. Hazrat Imaam Ghazzali (A.R.) (D. 505 A.H.) quotes the following statement of Hazrat Omar (R.A.): “We avoided 9 out of 10 things for fear of indulging in Haraam.” (Ihyaa) Hazrat Khwaja Nizaamoeddeen (A.R.) [D.725 H] has said: “Somebody asked Hazrat Ibraheem ibn Adhum (A.R.) to disclose the ‘Ism-e-Aazum’ (that Great Divine Name by means of which Allah accepts the du’aas). He replied, “To keep the stomach free from Haraam and the heart free from the love of the world is the ‘Ism-e-Aazum’. Following such precautions, whichever Name of Allah with which one wishes to call out becomes the ‘Ism-e-Aazum’. (Fawaaidoel Fuaad) A QUESTION In these troubled times where, at every step, one is confronted by Haraam, what is the solution to protect oneself from such a challenge? THE ANSWER The following procedures must be implemented to save oneself from consuming Haraam: Firstly: One should always ponder upon the fact that one will not remain forever in this world. Ultimately, when one will certainly die and appear before Allah, how will one face Allah if one keeps on consuming Haraam? Secondly: Exercise restraint by avoiding anything that is doubtful. Thirdly: One should study the authentic books depicting the Laws of Shariah. Fourthly: Adopt the company of the Pious. Fifthly: Instead of increasing one’s expenditure one should do one’s utmost to reduce it as much as possible. One must never deliberately indulge in any Haraam. Sixthly: One should continuously make Du’aa that Allah grants one Halaal sustenance and protects one from Haraam. May Allah grant us the ability of earning and consuming Halaal and may Allah save us from every form of Haraam. Ameen The Jamiat

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Wealth Decreased before the Zakaat Date Q: What is the mas’alah regarding a person whose wealth decreased before the zakaat date? E.g. Bakr possessed R1, 000, 000 throughout the year. Just before the end of his zakaatable year i.e. 1st of Ramadhaan, he suffered a loss of R900, 000 in his business. Will Bakr now have to pay zakaat on R1, 000,000 or R100, 000? A: Bakr will have to pay zakaat on R100, 000. وشرطه أي شرط افتراض أدائها حولان الحول وهو في ملكه اهـ. (شامي 2/267) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Prerequisite of Deriving full benefit from Zikr Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) once mentioned: Zikr is a means of acquiring great blessings. However, one will derive the full benefit from the blessings provided one refrains from evil actions and sins. This could be understood through the following illustration. Consider the example of a person who does not perform his faraaidh and performs nafl salaah. Though he will receive reward through performing the nafl salaah, however the sin of neglecting the faraaidh will outweigh the reward received through the nafl, to such an extent that the benefit of the nafl will not be seen. Furthermore, he will not find any stability and firmness in all other righteous actions. (Malfoozaat Hakeemul Ummat 2/164) Ihyaauddeen.co.za

wa'alaykumus salaam hmmm no idea...will try and find out inshaAllah

wa'alaykumus salaam sis what this Q/A is explaining is that if wealth gets added to the initial amount then the zakat will be calculated on the whole amount and not just the amount which the person had initially...many people don't realise this which means they haven't paid zakat in full

Wealth Received before one's Zakaat Date Q: What is the mas’alah regarding a person who received some wealth prior to the completion of the zakaatable year? E.g. Zaid’s zakaatable year ends on the 1st of Ramadhaan. Few days before the 1st of Ramadhaan, he received a lump sum of R1, 000, 000 in inheritance. Will Zaid have to pay zakaat on the R1, 000, 000 as well? A: Zaid will have to pay zakaat on the R1, 000, 000 as well. أو المستفاد ولو بهبة أو إرث وسط الحول يضم إلى نصاب من جنسه فيزكيه بحول الأصل (شامي 2/288) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

The Female Genital Mutilation / Cutting (FGM/C) News Blog This blog posts any and all news related to Female Genital Cutting (FGC). It tracks only content that discusses FGC as a main subject. The page is designed as a resource for researchers and those who want to keep up to date on this issue without slogging through google alerts or news pages. Original authors are responsible for their content. To suggest content please write to [email protected]. FGC is also called female genital mutilation or FGM; FGM/C; or female circumcision. Tuesday, August 11, 2009 Designer Vaginas: Is Female Circumcision Coming Out of the Closet? Reposted from July 2, 2009 By Gbemisola Olujobi As a circumcised and sexually fulfilled African woman, when I consider the fuss that female circumcision has attracted to Africa over the years and the wind of labiaplasties and genital rejuvenations currently sweeping across Europe and America, I cannot help but ask in the words of Dr. Deborah Tolman, professor of social welfare at Hunter College School of Social Work, “What happened in the last three years to make [these] women’s labias so big that they can’t walk around with them?” I was watching an episode of “Dr. 90210” on E! Entertainment Television recently. A young American woman was getting a labiaplasty and clitoral hood reduction. She said her labia “didn’t look nice” and her clitoral hood was “uncomfortable,” especially when she was having sex. I didn’t know what to think. I was circumcised (read labiaplasty and clitoral hood reduction) when I was 9 days old, in line with the tradition of the Yoruba of western Nigeria. And thanks to the “enlightenment” of Euro-American NGOs, I grew up lamenting what I thought was my irreparable loss and thinking I would definitely have been better off with my genitals intact. Imagine my confusion at the spectacle before me on television. I have since seen more labiaplasties and clitoral hood reductions on “Dr. 90210.” I am an avid fan of the show and confess to being totally smitten with the effervescent Dr. Robert Rey. But the more of these procedures I see, the more I ... well, wonder. What are labiaplasty and clitoral hood reduction if not female circumcision? Female circumcision, also known as female genital cutting (FGC) or the more demonized female genital mutilation (FGM), is defined by the World Health Organization as “all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs whether for cultural, religious or other non-therapeutic reasons.” FGC is practiced throughout the world, but seems to be more widely practiced in Africa than anywhere else. Not all ethnic groups in Africa practice female circumcision, though it is found in 28 of the continent’s 53 countries. The WHO identifies three broad types of female circumcision. Type I circumcision is the partial or total removal of the clitoris and/or the prepuce or clitoral hood. Type II circumcision is “partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora, with or without excision of the labia majora. Type III circumcision involves narrowing of the vaginal orifice with creation of a covering seal by cutting and repositioning the labia minora and/or the labia majora, with or without excision of the clitoris. This type of circumcision is also known as infibulation or pharaonic circumcision. It is the most extensive form of FGM, and accounts for about 10 percent of all FGM procedures identified in Africa. And what are labiaplasty, clitoral hood reduction, vaginoplasty and the other procedures classified as female genital cosmetic surgery? Labiaplasty is plastic surgery of the labia majora and/or the labia minora, which are the external folds of skin surrounding the structures of the vulva. The procedure involves reducing the size of one or both sets of labia. Clitoral hood reduction is an operation which repositions the protruding clitoris and reduces the length and projection of the clitoral hood. Vaginoplasty is the surgical modification of the female vagina. The most frequent vaginoplasty procedure is the narrowing of the vaginal opening to make it firmer. These operations involve cutting that includes full or partial amputation of the labia or clitoris, as well as procedures to narrow or tighten the vagina—all hallmarks of circumcision and infibulation. Now, from what I understand, some Euro-American women are becoming so disturbed by the appearance of their genitalia that they are asking plastic surgeons to modify them. But how did this new worry start? Or, as professor Tolman puts it, “What happened in the last three years to make [these] women’s labias so big that they can’t walk around with them?” Physicians and mainstream mass media report that the widespread viewing of pornography has increased demand for labiaplasty. As more people see the shortened labia of pornographic actresses, they are getting the idea that trim genitals are the ideal. Human sexuality expert Bonnie Zylbergold argues in an article that women are getting the HD version of their vulvas outside a biology class for the first time. And “while women might not be trading notes on their vaginal proportions,” says Zylbergold, “they have become increasingly comfortable with mainstream pornography and that leads to one dimensional representations of what vulvas look like.” Just as the phenomenon of Playboy magazine in the 1950s spread the craze for breast enlargements in the ’60s and ’70s, an increasing number of women are going to plastic surgeons with pictures of spread-eagled models in magazines such as Playboy and Penthouse and saying, “I want those clit and lips,” very much as some women have been ordering Angelina Jolie’s mouth and Jennifer Lopez’s butt in surgeons’ “supermarkets.” Call it “labia envy,” says New York writer Louisa Kamps. A host of plastic surgeons are aggressively offering women relief from this new form of envy. Kamps quotes Dr. Gary Alter, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, as saying: “Some women have this feeling they’re not that pretty down there. If you really think you’re deformed, you’re going to be less open to a sexual relationship. Before, it was the dark ages, because nobody really cared, or knew, what it looked like. But now, with Penthouse and all these magazines that show vaginas—I mean, they really show it—you have women, not just men, looking. And they start making aesthetic judgments.” Many surgeons are against these procedures and some have even called the doctors who perform them “fraudulent.” Among those who disagree with that criticism is Dr. Scott W. Mosser, a board-certified plastic surgeon based in San Francisco who has been performing labiaplasties for the past four years. He insists that anything that is distracting enough to interfere with a person’s quality of life or lifestyle is something that should be addressed. Sex expert Zylbergold asks, “What’s with all the women who truly feel as though FGCS [female genital cosmetic surgery] will better their quality of life? Are we simply to ignore them? Tell them that they don’t really know, or understand for that matter, what they really want?” One woman who responded to a post on labiaplasty at colbertnation.com wrote: “I used to talk about this [surgery] all the time. There are times I still want to do it. My right inner labium is larger than the left, even larger than the outer labia (it looks like a tongue sticking out). It’s bothered me my whole sexual life and I always used to talk about getting it removed so it looks more symmetrical. Not to mention it sometimes gets stuck during intercourse and is painful every now and then. I even threaten to do it myself. I can see why some women might want to get it done, and I feel if that’s the way they want it, fine. Porn might have something to do with it, but I think there are women out there who want to get it for their own satisfaction.” Researcher Karen Roberts McNamara reports that accounts of this medical trend in mainstream media quote doctors and patients alike as describing the new beauty standard for the vulva as “neat” and “clean.” McNamara cites a Boston Globe article in which a 25-year-old student from California, a patient of Dr. David Matlock, describes her postsurgery genitalia as “cleaner” and “more hygienic.” Acclaimed champion of what he calls “vaginal rejuvenation,” Dr. Matlock proffers what he considers to be the definition of vulvar beauty as a “nice, clean look.” He claims that his laser rejuvenation will “effectively enhance the vaginal muscle tone, strength and control, decrease the internal and external vaginal diameters, as well as build up and strengthen the perineal body.” Now, unless something really drastic happens to make women like the one at the ColbertNation site accept their asymmetrical and protruding genitalia and ignore the Matlocks and Alters, labiaplasty and clitoral hood reductions (call them clit and lip jobs, if you will) may yet become the staples that nose and boob jobs have metamorphosed into. According to the California Surgical Institute, labiaplasty has become more common. In the United Kingdom, the number of labiaplasties doubled between 2000 and 2005. And in Germany, as psychologist Borken Ada Hagen and gynecologist Heribert Kentenich report in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, labiaplasty (known there as labienreduktion) has become the third leading cosmetic plastic surgery—right after face-lifts and breast augmentation. Patient satisfaction has also been significant. A recent two-year study on 407 labiaplasty patients between the ages of 13 and 63 indicates that they appear to be happy with the procedure. Dr. Alter, the Beverly Hills plastic surgeon and urologist, performed a procedure known as the Alter V technique on all 407 women. According to an article on the study, printed in the December 2008 issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 98 percent of the patients reported they would have the surgery again. Seventy percent reported increased self-esteem, while 71 percent claimed to have improved sex lives. The study found only 4 percent of subjects reporting complications. So where does this leave Africans who have been hounded for years by Euro-American NGOs and donor agencies to abandon “the barbaric and primitive practice” known as female circumcision? Could it be that some ancient Africans saw flesh and blood versions of these before-and-after photos and decided, long before what is now known as cosmetic surgery came into being, that women would be better served with something close to what is now being called the “Toronto Trim.” The term comes from Toronto plastic surgeon Robert Stubbs, by way of health reporter Krista Foss. Stubbs has done more than 205 labia minora shortenings on women aged 14 to 60. His style of trimming the hood of the clitoris as well as the lips of the vagina has been nicknamed the Toronto Trim. The appropriately named Dr. Stubbs reports that these trims are not done on women who experience pain from their labia. Rather, they are done for cosmetic reasons. “Women don’t want to compete with men with something large between their legs. They want something small, neat and tidy and tucked up out of the way.” Again with the “neat and tidy.” Linda, a woman in her mid-20s, said her labia minora had always bothered her. “It was physically uncomfortable, and I didn’t find it very aesthetically pleasing,” she said. She went to Stubbs and got a Toronto Trim for $4,500. Patricia, a 32-year-old mother of two from New York City who had her labia shortened, also had worried that “it was all hanging.” So she looked for a surgeon, who fixed it, and she says “it’s nice and it’s neat now.” Bernard Stern, the Florida doctor who performed Patricia’s labiaplasty, says he has operated on all kinds of women, including Las Vegas showgirls, exotic dancers, a Playmate of the Year, doctors, nurses, midwives, attorneys, professional athletes, marathoners, junior Olympians, equestrians, Pilates instructors and personal trainers. His patients have included an 82-year-old and a 16-year-old, as well as a 19-year-old and her 40-year-old mother. Stern claims that most of his patients could not live with their genitals. “Quite honestly, most of the people that come in here have stuff that’s just unbelievable. There’s no doubt, I mean [the labia are] totally uneven, one side’s huge, the other’s not. ... For some of them, this is a life-changing procedure.” According to the surgeon, “The women feel undesirable or unpretty. Even if nobody sees it, they see it.” Stern also claims that for many, a labiaplasty or vaginal tightening can “save their marriage.” Now, my grandmother performed these “procedures” all her life. As early as 5 a.m., mothers would line up in our backyard with their baby sons and daughters to be circumcised by her expert hands. Among the Yoruba of Nigeria, circumcision is done in early infancy. Grandma took special care and pride with female babies. She would do her job deftly and pass the screaming baby to her mother saying, “Your daughter has been beautified.” The satisfied mother would then go back home and cook a celebratory chicken feast to mark the occasion. For some reason, no such feasts were cooked to mark a male baby’s circumcision. So, how is my grandmother different from these board-certified plastic surgeons and urologists? I cannot defend the circumcision knives Grandma inherited from her grandmother as being sterile. I also cannot claim that the palm oil she used to soothe the circumcision wound, the lime juice she used to “sanitize” the circumcision site, and the snail slime she swore would make the wound heal properly were up to WHO standards. But when I read the reports of labiaplasty patients, I cannot help but have a proud smile on my face when I recall my grandmother’s declarations after every baby girl’s circumcision: “She has been beautified and made clean.” How could she have known that this was going to be the refrain of board-certified surgeons in Europe and America after “beautifying” their women patients? As it turns out, the reasons given for female circumcision on the one hand and female genital cosmetic surgery on the other are not totally different. Practitioners of female circumcision couch its functions in culture and religious obligation. According to professor Aisha Samad Matias, they usually say things like “It makes you clean, beautiful, better, sweet-smelling,” or “You will be able to marry, be presentable to your husband, able to satisfy and keep your husband, able to conceive and bear children.” These reasons are not far from those given by women in Euro-America who seek the “nice, clean and neat” ideal of vulvar beauty through labiaplasties and clitoral hood reductions. According to Dr. Virginia Braun, a psychologist at the University of Auckland who specializes in women’s health and sexuality, the narratives of women who have undergone FGM and FGCS are similar. In both cases, Braun argues, women say, “It is important to me to have genitals that look normal, that look appropriate, that are right.” The big difference between female circumcision and FGCS hovers around self-consent and voluntarism. A great fuss is made about the rights of female circumcision “victims” by activists who see it as a form of child abuse or gender oppression. Writer Ifeyinwa Iweriebor, however, argues that this misrepresentation totally occludes the essential truth: that circumcision is not performed on girls (or on boys) to oppress them or do them any harm. For the practitioners, the procedure is carried out for the noblest of reasons, the best of intentions and in good faith. Maybe all those taboos surrounding female circumcision in African cultures were formulated as a way of ensuring that women went through this painful process to achieve the “nice clean slit” that is now being marketed by Euro-American plastic surgeons. At the end of the day, it looks like female circumcision and FGCS are done for very much the same reasons. According to Simone Davis, professor and gender theorist at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, among the key motivating factors raised by African women who favor female genital surgeries are beautification, transcendence of shame and the desire to conform. These clearly matter as well to American women seeking cosmetic surgery on their labia, says Davis. And according to McNamara, although most plastic surgeons usually insist that the women they treat seek the procedure to enhance their own sexual satisfaction, some concede that many women have a consultation at the urging of their husbands, boyfriends or partners who want increased sensation for themselves. These procedures—vaginoplasty, labiaplasty, hymenoplasty, female circumcision or genital mutilation—all have one thing in common. In McNamara’s words, they “highlight the constructedness of the sexed female subject because her body requires constant maintenance to adhere to gender requirements.” The good news for labiaplasty patients (read victims) is that though they may regard female circumcision as foreign and incomprehensible, what they are doing is altering their genitalia to conform to a certain set of notions and expectations about what genitalia should look like if they are to be appropriately feminine and desirable. Remember Dr. Alter? He says, “With Penthouse and all these magazines that show vaginas—I mean, they really show it—you have women, not just men, looking. And they start making aesthetic judgments.” Such aesthetic judgments are the moving force behind the disciplinary pressures of Western beauty standards. Think of anorexia, bulimia, “a cracker a day” diets, gastric bypass surgery, lap-band surgery and other such horrors. These things are done “voluntarily” and with “self-consent” by people who have been pushed to the wall by societal ideals about what a woman’s body should look like. So why has the West been demonizing “Africans and their barbaric culture of female circumcision” all these years? In actual fact, according to Davis, one could regard Western female consumers who consent to the procedures and even finance them to be even more oppressed and bound by normative gender than their African counterparts, because there is no actual external policing. In this case, she argues, American women are reminiscent of philosopher Michel Foucault’s “docile bodies,” who, on their own, fill the role of enforcers of their own subjection under the matrix of gender. Davis quotes Soraya Mire, a Somali filmmaker, as saying, “In America, women pay money that is theirs, and no one else’s, to go to a doctor who cuts them up. ... Western women cut themselves up voluntarily.” Somalia is a hotspot of infibulation and an action spot for Western anti-circumcision activists. Many Somali women and girls, as well as women and girls from other parts of Africa, have fled their homelands and gone into exile in Europe and America to escape circumcision and infibulation. Imagine Mire’s confusion, and mine as well. Imagine the indignation of millions of Africans who have been forced to abandon this rite of passage only to wake up one day and find out that Euro-American women are sneaking, behind our backs, to circumcise themselves and their daughters. One of Florida surgeon Bernard Stern’s patients was a 19-year-old whose 40-year-old mother had her labiaplasty six months after she had hers. This truly is a strange world! Emma24 at 6:37 AM

Female Circumcision From a Muslim Doctor The western media has made a big fuss about female circumcision and called it Female genital mutilation. However, what they don’t tell us is that the commonest operation done for non medical reason in the uk for women’s private parts is an operation fancifully called clitoral hood reduction and labioplasty!! Having spoken few years ago to Malay shafii doctors where most girls have circumcision as a girl, they tell me this is exactly what the western plastic surgeon and gynaecologist do during clitoral hood reduction and labioplasty – young girls from 14 years to ladies of 45 are paying £1500-2500 to have this done privately and is also done in the NHS. If you google the word clitoridotomy or clitoral hood reduction and labioplasty – first few results are privately advertised clinics where these ‘operations’ are done by GMC certified doctors!!! One gynaecologist told me he does about 5- 10 a week privately and takes home £800 to £1000 per patient as his fees! The article (1) below is by an African lady but gives us insight of the apparent double standard- apologies as it is long but is very insightful. She had classical circumcision and witnessed the above operation on tv and writes boldly about how what her grandmother did on her and used to do as female circumcision and the operation she witnessed are same. Sadly, Of course female genital mutilation where women have their private parts disfigured does happen in Africa and I have seen patients who cannot pass urine and stools properly because of this or cannot have babies but that is not what Prophet ﷺ taught us. Please read these article below in sha Allah. There are no forbidden pictures in the article except patient in gown in bbc article but without any nudity. Ulama of Haq should be aware of this double standard. 1. http://fgcdailynews.blogspot.co.uk/2009/07/designer-vaginas-is-female-circumcision.html?m=1 (Article is produced in the next post) 2. Bbc article about this operation http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18947106 Tafseer Raheemi

Question Assalamualaikum I wanted to know about circumcision in Islam is it done one women? I heard it is a practice of the Shafi’i, is it true? If it is where does it come from? Is it from the time of Ibrahim (A.S.)? I read that Sarah (A.S.) did it for Haajirah (A.S.) Answer It is correct that according to Imam Shafii (R.A.A.) that circumcision of a female is a compulsory act. What must be considered is that the circumcision should not exceed the limits, thus causing harm. According to Imam Abu Hanifah (R.A.A.) it is commended that females should be circumcised but is not a necessity. Circumcision of a male commenced from the time of Ebrahim (A.S.). We are not apprised from which point in Islamic history did the circumcision of females begin nor did we come across any narration with regards to Sarah (A.S.) circumcising Haajirah (A.S.) in any reliable Kitaab. (Al-Majmoo, Sharhul Muhath-thab, Vol. 1, Page 349) And Allah Taala knows best Mufti Muhammad Ashraf Darul Iftaa Jameah Mahmoodiyah Springs www.mahmoodiyah.org.za [email protected] Source

Q. Is circumcision in Islam compulsory or sunnah? Other than hygiene being the main factor for its occurrence, are there any other factors? Also, why do some countries allow female circumcision? And what are some reasons why females are not circumcised? A. Circumcision in Islam is not compulsory. It is Mustahab (commendable) for males, and is in accordance to the teachings of Islam. Female circumcision as done in some countries, is not based on a religious practice or law. It is based upon the customs and practices of the females living in that country. Females may not chose to do circumcision because it is not a religious law and teaching for them in Islam, and it also does not have any factor of hygienic for women. And Allah knows best. Mufti Waseem Khan Source

Does female circumcision have its place in Islaam Question Assalaamu alaykum dear mufti saab, can you please advice me of the islamic ruiling(from the four madhabs if possible) on female circumcision as a convert alhamdulilah these questions have arisen within my family and also with other muslim sisters. also could you please advise me if there is any daleel as to wheather our beloved nabi salallahu alahie wasalaams daughters(radiyallahu anhum)were or were not jazakallahu khair walykumusalaam wr wb Answer Bismillah Al-jawab billahi at-taufeeq (the answer with Allah’s guidance) Female circumcision is supported by no decisive textual evidence. Only male circumcision is practiced, due to the authentic evidence in the Sunnah that it is part of the natural way (Fitrah). Female circumcision is simply a regional custom in the places where it is practiced. We must then take into consideration that many medical professionals consider it to have detrimental affects for the girls who undergo the operation. On that basis, it would be impermissible to allow this custom to continue. As, bringing harm to oneself is unlawful in Islam. In a Hadith it is mentioned: Circumcision is Sunnah for men and an honorable thing for women. [Musnad Ahmad (19794)] Due to the weakness of this hadith and other Hadiths that refer to female circumcision with some of their narrators being known for deceptiveness and others whose narrations carry no weight scholars of Islamic Law have differed widely regarding its legal ruling. 1. In the Hanafî school of law, female circumcision is permissible within itself but not considered to be a Sunnah. (i.e. no religious virtue). (Shami Fatawaa Rahimiyyah, Page 261, Vol. 6) 2. It is considered a preferred act (Mandub) for women in the Maliki school of law. They rely upon the Hadith of Umm `Atiyyah for this ruling. ( Bulghah al-Salik li-Aqrab al-Masâlik and Ashal al-Madarik Sharh Irshad al-Salik) 3. In the Shaf’i school of law, circumcision is considered an obligation for both men and women. This is the official ruling of that school of thought. Some Shaf`i scholars express the view that circumcision is obligatory for men and merely Sunnah for women. ( al-Majmu`) 4. In the Hanbali school of law, circumcision is obligatory for men and merely an honorable thing for women. It is not obligatory for them. The Hanbali jurist Ibn Qudamah observes: This is the view of many people of knowledge. Imam Ahmad said that it is more emphatic for men. (al-Mughni (1/115)) Lastly, I would like to mention that there are no recorded evidences of circumcision done on the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)’s daughters. Please also refer to: http://qa.muftisays.com/index.php?viewpage=viewQA&question=1872 And Only Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Moulana Qamruz Zaman London, UK Source

Question i want to know about female circumcision in detail. Answer In the name of Allāh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful Assalāmu ῾alaykum wa Rahmatullāhi Wabarakātuh We acknowledge receipt of query and your answer follows hereunder; Female circumcision has been a very controversial issue for last few decades even among those who had been performing from former times. Apart from its scientific views lots of scholars have been intensely arguing the value and religious views of female circumcision. In Islam, circumcision is considered to be ‘fitrah’ which means the natural character and instinctive temperament of human being. It has been narrated by Abu Huraira (Radhiyallahu ‘anhu) that Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi Wassallam) said, “Five practices are characteristics of the Fitrah: circumcision, shaving the pubic region, clipping the nails and cutting the moustaches short.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari] Circumcision has also been regarded as the sign of Islam; to the extent that if a dead body is found, the manner of verifying that he was a Muslim is to see if he’s circumcised. Now before delving profound into the question of female circumcision, we would like to make it lucid that “female circumcision” means removing the prepuce of the clitoris which is situated above the opening of the urethra, not the clitoris itself. The Sunnah is not to remove all of it, but only a part. Umm Atiyyah al-Ansariyyah (Radhiyallahu ‘anha) narrates that a woman used to perform circumcision in Medina. The Prophet said to her: Do not cut severely as that is better for a woman and more desirable for a husband. [Sunan Abu Dawud] “Circumcision is Sunnah for men, and it is an honour for women, but it is not obligatory for them. وختان المرأة ليس سنة بل مكرمة للرجال وقيل سنة ( قوله وختان المرأة ) الصواب خفاض ، لأنه لا يقال في حق المرأة ختان وإنما خفاض حموي ( قوله بل مكرمة للرجال ) لأنه ألذ في الجماع زيلعي ( قوله وقيل سنة ) جزم به البزازي معللا بأنه نص على أن الخنثى تختن ، ولو كان ختانها مكرمة لم تختن الخنثى ، لاحتمال أن تكون امرأة ولكن لا كالسنة في حق الرجال ا هـ . أقول : وختان الخنثى لاحتمال كونه رجلا ، وختان الرجل لا يترك فلذا كان سنة احتياطا ولا يفيد ذلك سنيته للمرأة تأمل [Fatawa Raheemiyah Vol: 6 Pg: 261 (Darul Ishaa’at)] Imam Ahmad bin Hambal (Rahmatullahi ‘alayhi) said: For men it is more strictly required, but for women it is less strictly required.” [Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudamah (Rahmatullahi ‘alayhi)] We conclude from aforesaid discussion that “female circumcision” will be regarded as Mustahab and Sunnah for the male. And Allāh Ta῾āla Knows Best Wassalāmu ῾alaykum Ml. Mohammad Ashhad bin Said Correspondence Iftā Student, Mauritius Checked and Approved by: Mufti Ebrahim Desai Dārul Iftā, Madrasah In῾āmiyyah

Female Circumcision What place does it have in Islam? Is it compulsory or Sunnah? The Western media makes a big fuss about it and calls it "Female Genital Mutilation". How correct is this?

Zakaat on Platinum, Gems, Rubies, Diamonds, Sapphires, etc?Q: Is zakaat compulsory upon platinum, gems, rubies, diamonds, sapphires, etc? A: Zakaat is not compulsory on all precious stones besides gold and silver unless they were purchased with the intention of resale. (لا زكاة في اللآلىء والجواهر ) وإن ساوت ألفا اتفاقا ( إلا أن يكون التجارة ) والأصل أن ما عدا الحجرين والسوائم إنما يزكى بنية التجارة (ج2 ص 273) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

When will Zakaat be Obligatory?Q: When will zakaat be obligatory? A: The first day a person acquires wealth which equals the nisaab and the wealth remains with him for an entire lunar year, zakaat will be waajib on that wealth. E.g. Zaid acquired R3, 000 (which is the nisaab amount) on the first of the lunar year; 1st of Muharram 1431. This wealth remained with him for an entire lunar year. On the 1st of Muharram 1432 zakaat will be waajib upon the wealth. It should be noted that if the amount decreased during the course of the year e.g. R3, 000 decreased to R1, 000 but at the end of the zakaatable year (1st of Muharram 1432) the amount returned to R3, 000, zakaat will be waajib. However, if during the year all the money was spent, then despite the full amount (R3, 000) being found at the end of the lunar year, zakaat will not be waajib. Instead one year will be calculated from the next time this person acquired the nisaab amount. وشرط كمال النصاب ولو سائمة في طرفي الحول …. فلايضر نقصانه بينهما، فلوهلك كله بطل الحول (شامي 2/302) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Upon which Wealth does a Person have to Pay Zakaat? Q: Upon which wealth does a person have to pay zakaat? A: Zakaat will be paid on the following: Cash (including the balance of your bank deposits). The market value of the merchandise contained in the share of the company i.e. one will be obligated to discharge the Zakaat of the company’s Zakaatable assets (merchandise) contained in the share excluding the non-Zakaatable items e.g. fixtures and fittings, transport vehicles, etc. which are not part of the merchandise of the company. The value of all these things will be evaluated in the share and will not be taken in account when discharging the zakaat. If it is difficult to differentiate between the zakaatable and non-Zakaatable assets of the company, then as a precautionary measure one should discharge the Zakaat on the market value of the entire share. Face value of the financial papers like bonds loaned to the government, etc. It should be noted that when the loan is paid back by the government, it will only be permissible for one to retrieve the original amount of the loan given. The interest amount paid out by the government will be impermissible. It will have to be given in sadaqah without the intention of receiving reward. Similarly, it should be known that it is impermissible for a believer to deal in any form of interest (usury) whether it be receiving or giving an interest bearing loan. The market rate of the balance of stock in trade (including raw material). Receivable amounts i.e. debts owed to a person, monies loaned to people, etc. Foreign currencies. Gold and silver. (لا زكاة في اللآلىء والجواهر ) وإن ساوت ألفا اتفاقا ( إلا أن يكون للتجارة ) والأصل أن ما عدا الحجرين والسوائم إنما يزكى بنية التجارة (ج2 ص 273) أو المستفاد ولو بهبة أو إرث وسط الحول يضم إلى نصاب من جنسه فيزكيه بحول الأصل (شامي 2/288) نصاب الذهب عشرون مثقالا والفضة مئتا درهم ، كل عشرة دراهم وزن سبعة مثاقيل … إلخ (شامي 2/295) (و) اعلم أن الديون عند الإمام ثلاثة قوي ومتوسط وضعيف (فتجب) زكاتها إذا تم نصابا وحال الحول لكن لا فورا بل (عند قبض أربعين درهما من الدين) القوي كقرض (وبدل مال تجارة) فكلما قبض أربعين درهما يلزمه درهم (و) عند قبض (مائتين منه لغيرها) أي من بدل مال لغير تجارة وهو المتوسط كثمن سائمة وعبيد خدمة ونحوهما مما هو مشغول بحوائجه الأصلية كطعام وشراب وأملاك ويعتبر ما مضى من الحول قبل القبض في الأصح ومثله ما لو ورث دينا على رجل (و) عند قبض (مائتين مع حولان الحول بعده) أي بعد القبض (من) دين ضعيف وهو (بدل غير مال) كمهر ودية وبدل كتابة وخلع قوله (في الأصح) قد علمت أنه ظاهر الرواية وعبارة الفتح و البحر في صحيح الرواية قلت لكن قال في البدائع إن رواية ابن سماعة أنه لا زكاة فيه حتى يقبض المائتين ويحول الحول من وقت القبض هي الأصح من الروايتين عن أبي حنيفة اهـ ومثله في غاية البيان وعليه فحكمه حكم الدين الضعيف الآتي (شامي 2/305) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Hadhrat Bilaal (Radhiallahu Anhu) returns to Madinah Tayyibah After Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) passed away, it became extremely difficult for Hadhrat Bilaal (Radhiallahu Anhu) to remain in Madinah Tayyibah. This was on account of the deep love he possessed for Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). Remaining in Madinah Munawwara caused him to remember Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) at every step and every corner. He therefore left Madinah Tayyibah, and decided to pass the rest of his life striving in the path of Allah Ta’ala. Once he saw Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) in his dream saying to him: “O Bilaal, why is it that you do not visit me?” He immediately set out for Madinah Tayyibah. On reaching there, Hadhrat Hasan and Hadhrat Husain (Radhiyallaho Anhuma), the grandchildren of Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) requested him to call out the Azaan. He could not refuse them, for they were very dear and beloved to him. As soon as the Azaan was called, the people of Madinah Tayyibah cried openly in remembrance of the time of Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). Hadhrat Bilal (Radhiyallahu Anhu) left Madinah Tayyibah again after a few days and passed away in Damascus in the year 20 A.H. (Fazaail Aamaal) يَا رَبِّ صَلِّ وَ سَلِّمْ دَائِمًا أَبَدًا عَلَى حَبِيبِكَ خَيرِ الخَلْقِ كُلِّهِمِ

Working as an air hostess, calculating Suhoor and Iftar on Plane Respected scholars. May I kindly ask a question. I am a flight attendance and fly internationally daily. I would like to know what should I do about my fasting during the holy month of Ramadan. How do I calculate when to do suhoor and the iftar? I never used to keep the fasts previously as I did not know but know I feel bad for missing whole month. I am obliged to work as well as I support my poor family back home my aging mom and dad. What do I do? I look forward to your advise and ruling. Answer In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. Sister in Islam, At the outset we commend you for your efforts in practicing your Deen. We make Dua that Allah Ta’ala take you from strength to strength and keep you steadfast. Ameen. When travelling by air, you should consider the time zone of the area you are flying over. The Subah Sadiq (break of dawn before the time of Fajr commences) which is the beginning time for fasting and the sunset can be determined from looking outside the aircraft. Nowadays there are many Islamic mobile apps through which one can easily determine the correct Salah and fasting timings of any zone around the world. However, it is not compulsory for a person to fast in Ramadan while travelling a distance of 78 Kms or more. If while travelling in Ramadan one did not fast, one will have to make up for the missed fast later. Respected sister in Islam, while we express our happiness in you practicing on the dictates of Islam, and applaud you for striving in maintaining your family, we would take the liberty to share some light on an important point as we observe that you are sensitive to your religious obligations. According to the teachings of Islam, a woman`s place is her home. This is most suitable for her feminine nature and temperament.Allah says in the Quran, وقرن في بيوتكن ولا تبرّجن تبرّج الجاهليّة الأولى And stay in your houses [and do not come out except for a purpose] and do not unveil yourselves like the unveiling prevalent in the times of ignorance (33:33) As far as leaving her house is concerned, permission has been granted to a woman who does not have any other male who may earn and provide for her and she is unable to earn her livelihood by working from home. Such a woman may go out to earn but it must be done in accordance with the Shar’ie principles laid down. These laws of Islam might seem difficult but they are for our own good. Islam respects and honors a woman chastity, body and shame; hence, it instructs us to conceal our women folk, just as an expensive diamond is concealed and protected. The job as an airhostess violates many laws of Shari’ah. An airhostess will have to travel by plane without her Mahram which is prohibited. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: لَا يَحِلُّ لِامْرَأَةٍ تُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ أَنْ تُسَافِرَ سَفَرًا يَكُونُ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ فَصَاعِدًا، إِلَّا وَمَعَهَا أَبُوهَا، أَوِ ابْنُهَا، أَوْ زَوْجُهَا، أَوْ أَخُوهَا، أَوْ ذُو مَحْرَمٍ مِنْهَا Translation: It is not lawful for a woman that believes in Allah and the Last Day to travel a journey that is (the distance of) three days or more (78km), unless her father, her son, her husband, her brother or a man un-marriageable to her accompanies her[1]. (Sahīh Muslim, 2398) An airhostess will have to wear her airhostess`s uniform which generally reveals her form and shape. She will also have to beautify herself and continuously interact with males, which obviously contravene the laws of Islam. As such, we would like to advise you, as our sister in Islam, that you seek such a job in which the commands of Allah Ta’ala can be fulfilled. As Muslims, it imperative we abide to the commands of Allah Ta’ala and have complete faith that in doing so comes Barakah and blessings. Always remember that no matter what are the ‘consequences’ of practicing upon the Shari’ah or how challenging they may seem to be, you should continue learning and enhancing every aspect of your life as a Muslim and practice accordingly. By doing so, you will be assured a happy and peaceful life in this world and eternal success in the life after death. “And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty), and will provide him sustenance from where he never even imagined. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, Allah is sufficient for him.” (Qur’an 65:2-3) And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best Arshad Ali Student Darul Iftaa Trinidad Checked and Approved by, Mufti Ebrahim Desai. http://www.daruliftaa.net/