In the Name of Allah, Most
Gracious, Most Merciful
Ridiculous Fatwa
By Irshad Mahmood –
Director, Siraat-al-Mustaqeem Dawah Centre
I wonder why our Ulema (Scholars) issue Fatwas, which seem ridiculous.
For example:
1>
300 years
ago, when clocks and watches were invented; use of those devices for
prayer times was not allowed per Fatwas of Ulema'.
2>
150 years
ago, translating Quraan in any other language was considered a taboo,
and was not allowed per Fatwas by Ulema of that time.
3>
100 years ago, in
India, calculated
Prayer Times were not acceptable per Fatwas by Ulema of that time.
4>
60 years ago, loud
speakers use for
Prayers was considered Haraam, per Fatwas by Ulema in Indo-Pak.
5>
50 years ago,
taking picture for ID or passports was considered Haraam, per Fatwas by
Ulema in Indo-Pak.
6> Telephone
first introduced to King Faisal in Saudi Arabia was announced Haraam
due to human voice,
and later accepted as Halaal due to listening
Recitation of the Quraan through it for demonstration.
7> Vote to elect a
candidate in election were initially declared Haraam and later accepted.
8> Around
573 years ago
in
1440 printing the
Quraan in printing press was not allowed and around
250 years later were
accepted.
9>
Blood donation initially declared Haraam
and later
after several decades accepted Halaal to save a life.
10> When airplane was first
invented our outdated religious scholars denied and later accepted.
11> When Sir Syed Ahmed Khan in
India in
18
century asked Muslims to learn English and started Alighar School,
outdated Religious Scholars declared him as Kafir and later he was
accepted as Mujaddid of that time by other fellow Muslims.
Now, all of the
above is considered, not only allowed, but people don't even know that
these were not allowed before. Why, it takes decades for Ulema to
accept such things. One of the reasons is whatever information was
available at that time to our Ulema, based on that they have given
Fatwas. Yesterday’s
Fatwas could be adjusted or modified based on currently available
information and this further could be readjusted or modified in future
on
the bases of information available in future. All Ulema tried their best to
help this Ummah, and May Allah give them Great Reward on their help,
AMEEN.
We
always need to look for Auliyaas and Mujaddids of present time to
tackle all modern challenges, and who are always there and new Auliyaas
and Mujaddids will always be there in future to help Muslim Ummah, for
which we need to open our heart to understand them and be with them all
the time, (Al_Quraan_018.028). Auliyaas and Mujaddids might
be in simple local dress.
12> Man has gone
to the moon, walked on it, spoke to us from there, yet our Ulema
refuse to seriously consider using modern technology for the unity of
the Ummah.
13> Why Eid Moon cannot be
calculated while Sea travelers can since long time until the arrival of
GPS.
14> For the last 30 years, Ulema
do not accept moon-sighting by telescope/Satellites etc.
Would it
take another few decades to accept that???
World renowned Islamic scholar
Qardawi once said "while the Zionist State of Israel is photographing
every inch of the Arab world for destruction, we are debating whether
photography is Haram or Halaal".
Problem
on Issuing Fatwaas:
The problem we face is that we get
Fatwas from 2 extreme points. The only way to get over this is to have
Council of International Muslim Jurists (Ulema and Muslim Scientists)
representing a wider opinion.
Fatwas are opinions of scholars in the field of religion.
Fatwas are
time and space bound.
To obtain a Fatwa on some major issues we need Scholars not only in the
field of Islam, but also in the field of different sciences and
philosophies. Such scholars are hard to come by. The other problem we
encounter is the interpretation of the Quraan and Hadeeth. A good
number, strictly adhere to the literal interpretation while others
probe in to essence of the Quraan and Hadeeth. Looking for the essence
of the faith is a tough task. Many of our Ulema are unaware of
science and many of our Muslim scientists are unaware of Quraan and
Hadeeth.
We must unite on
ONE
method of worship of Prophet Ibraheem
(Peace-Be-Upon-Him), and we must take guidance from the Quraan (True
Book of Guidance), Kabah in Makkah and must not divide ourselves on all
religious issues including Salaat, Zakaat, Hajj, Umrah, etc., (Ref:
Al_Quraan_002.001-005, 003.095-097).
If you are
not following
Makkah to Establish Salaat, Celebrate Ramadaan, Eid, Hajj etc., then
you are dividing Religion Islaam and your matter is with Allah,
(Ref: Al_ Quraan_002.125-129, 002.130-138, 002.142-144, 002.149-150,
002.189, 003.095-097, 003.103, 003.106, 006.096, 006.159, 010.005).
Remember: Prophet
Muhammad (Peace-Be-Upon-Him) never ever foretold,
(Ref. Al_Quraan_005.090,
006.050, 007.188, 031.034, 033.063, 034.014).
Also, Prophet Muhammad (Peace-Be-Upon-Him) was walking and
talking Quraan,
(Ref.
Al_Quraan_005.067, 033.021, 034.028).
Whose Fatwas are
better than Quraanic Fatawa, (Ref: Al_Quraan_005.050,
045.006, 052.034, 077.050).
Read Al-Quraan, the Miracle of
Miracles and free from contradictions and errors