Fatwas: Part Nineteen

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

Commands for Muhammad Only?!

Published in January 23, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … Is it OK to think that all God's Quranic commands addressed to Muhammad are also addressed to Quran-believing people? … Thank you …  

Answer:

  No indeed; there are certain temporary legislations linked to Muhammad alone along with his wives during their lifetime, like the ones mentioned in the Quranic Chapter 33, and the commands addressed to him to convey certain words and the divine message itself. Apart from this, there are also commands addressed to him and us (i.e., Quran-believing people), such as to perform different acts of worship and adherence to certain higher values and abiding by a high moralistic level.   

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Messengers with Resolve

Published in January 22, 2017

Question: …  Who are the messengers with resolve, mentioned in46:45 in the Quran? … Are they Muhammad, Jesus, Moses, Abraham, and Noah, as we read in books of the Muhammadans? … What do you think? … Thank you …      

Answer:

   God says in the Quran, addressing Muhammad: "So be patient, as the messengers with resolve were patient…" (46:45). We tend to think that the term refers to those prophets/messengers who had been endowed with ability and vision, as we read about them in these verses: "And mention Our servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - endowed with ability and vision. We distinguished them with a distinct quality: the remembrance of the Home. To Us they are among the chosen, the outstanding." (38:45-47). How come to consider Muhammad as one of them for sure, while God has commanded him in 46:45 during his lifetime in Mecca to try to follow their footsteps? Muhammad lived and died and we never know if he obeyed this command or not; nothing in the Quran is mentioned about his topic. The divine evaluation of this is only by God after the death of Muhammad, and the same evaluation about those prophets mentioned in the Quran is mentioned after there are dead. The Quran praises a group of prophets and has commanded Muhammad to follow the footsteps of their guidance, and the Omniscient God is the Only Judge over the issue whether Muhammad applied this command or not and to which extent; we are not to tackle such a topic unrevealed to us by God in the Quran. "And We gave him Isaac and Jacob-each of them We guided. And We guided Noah previously; and from his descendants David, and Solomon, and Job, and Joseph, and Moses, and Aaron. Thus We reward the righteous. And Zechariah, and John, and Jesus, and Elias-every one of them was of the upright.  And Ishmael, and Elijah, and Jonah, and Lot-We favored each one of them over all other people. And of their ancestors, and their descendants, and their siblings-We chose them, and guided them to a straight path. Such is God's guidance. He guides with it whomever He wills of His servants. Had they associated, their deeds would have gone in vain. Those are they to whom We gave the Book, and wisdom, and prophethood. If these reject them, We have entrusted them to others who do not reject them. Those are they whom God has guided, so follow their guidance. Say, "I ask of you no compensation for it; it is just a reminder for all humankind."" (6:84-90).       

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God Listens to Those Who Praise Him

Published in January 19, 2017

Question: … What is the meaning of this phrase ''God listens to those who praise Him'', which is uttered after kneeling during prayers? … Thank you for your time …      

Answer:

   One praises the Lord during prayers when the Quranic Chapter One is uttered many times, and one glorifies the Lord during kneeling and prostrations repeated within the five daily prayers; and the phrase you mention in your question asserts such praise and glorification, as God listens to prayers of those who do perform praise and glorification faithfully and wholeheartedly, and the phrase uttered after this asserts the same meaning: "Praised be the Lord". Hence, the Islamic daily prayers contain praise and glorification repeated several times.

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Divorce Money for the Deceased Ex-Wife

Published in January 11, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … My late daughter died suddenly and she was divorced about a year ago, … Her ex-husband refuses to pay the rest of installments of divorce money due to her, after she died, claiming that I should not inherit my daughter by receiving this due money instead of her after she died. Is that true in this case?  A Sunnite clergymen has asserted to me that since I'm her only inheritor, I should claim that money for myself … What do you think? … Thank you …      

Answer:

  You have no right whatsoever to inherit divorce money of your daughter; such money was her right as long as she would live, and since she died, no more money is due from her ex-husband at all. You can only inherit her property or money possessed previously by her. If the ex-husband divorced her and she died within the three-month period, he can share a half of her inheritance; if she died after that period, he is not to inherit anything from her at all.

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The Just Umma

Published in January 21, 2017

Question: …  Dear Sir, … What is meant by the Quranic term (Umma Wasata) used in 2:143 … Does it refer to moderation, charity, justice, or the Umma (nation) that will bear witness against other nations on the Last Day? … Thank you …    

Answer:

  The term Quranic term ''Wasata'' does not refer to moderation or medial position or anything related to Sunnite notions propagated past and present; it refers to justice done in the best way possible in acts of worship and in dealing fairly and equitably with people. God willing, we will write a more detailed article on that topic about the just Umma or nation and being witness.    

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Wisdom and Good Advice

Published in December 28, 2016

Question: … Dear Sir, … Could tell me what the Quranic term "wisdom and good advice" mentioned in 16:125 means exactly? … Thank you …      

Answer:

  Both the terms ''wisdom'' and ''good advice'' refer only to one thing: the Quran itself. We refer you to our book titled ''The Quran Is Enough''. The Quran is undoubtedly the best and greatest source of both wisdom and good advice as well as guidance. The only grave error or danger lies in the fact that corrupt clergy distort and twist meanings and interpretations of Quranic verses to serve their evil purposes.    

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The Mother of the Book

Published in January 7, 2017

Question: …  Dear Dr. Mansour, … What is meant by the expression ''the Mother of the Book'' mentioned and repeated in the Quranic text? … Thank you  …

Answer:

  We have tackled this term in a previous article on our online archive, but we briefly repeat the following here:-

1- This term refers to the celestial book of divine decrees showing the fates ordained by God, the Dominant Creator of Time, the Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent, on people, like death and birth, and how this book looks like cannot be imagined by us at all as mortals: "… For every age is a book, God abolishes whatever He wills, and He affirms. With Him is the Mother of the Book." (13:38-39).

2- This term refers also to the source of all divine scriptures descended on earth, including the Quran itself: "We made it an Arabic Quran, so that you may understand. And it is with Us, in the Mother of the Book, sublime and wise." (43:3-4).

3- Finally, the term refers to what is inside the Quran as the verses that contain condensed meanings, as opposed to other verses that explain in detail: "It is He who revealed to you the Book. Some of its verses are definitive; they are the Mother of the Book, and others are similar. As for those in whose hearts is deviation, they follow the similar ones, seeking dissent, and seeking to derive an interpretation. But none knows its interpretation except God and those firmly rooted in knowledge say, "We believe in it; all is from our Lord." But none recollects except those with understanding." (3:7).    

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Ibn Ishaq and Al-Bokhary

Published in January 20, 2017

Question: … Dear Dr. Mansour, … Does the original manuscript of the supposed biography of Muhammad by Ibn Ishaq exist? Where? If not, how did historians get to know that Al-Bokhary quoted Ibn Ishaq?  … Thank you for your time … God bless and protect you …  

Answer:

  It is assumed that a historian found a manuscript of the book by Ibn Ishaq and published it, but we ourselves never verified this or made sure of it online. In Egypt, we never found a manuscript in that book in Cairo, but it is known that other historians who lived during the Second Abbasid Era have quoted Ibn Ishaq and commented on it, especially Al-Tabari, Al-Khateeb, and Ibn Saad, as for Al-Bokhary, he was more cunning and sly as to fabricate series of narrators while ostentatiously quoting Ibn Ishaq, and he has written his narratives in his many-volume book titled "Sahih Al-Bokhary" as if they were part religion, not history that may be refuted and contradicted.         

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 They Come and Go 

Published in April 30, 2015

Question: … Dear Sir, …  I cannot help but notice that some Quranist writers of articles on your website leave the website for good for unclear and unknown reasons, after writing a lot of articles or few ones … Some of them leave due to insurmountable differences that cannot be settled, and yet,  some others leave and vanish for no reason at all despite their being wholeheartedly in agreement with you … What do you think are the reasons for that phenomenon? … Thank you …     

Answer:

    You should bear in mind that there is ample room for differences among Quranists in the field of political stances and views; we never remove content that disagrees with our political views, but we reserve the right to remove comments and/or articles that contradict Quranic facts long established within Quranism as a trend or school of thought. this provokes the anger of some people; but we never allow any writer to write articles or comments that deny Islamic tenets of the Quran as understood by mainstream Quranists. Of course, we can accept different, innovative views derived from Quranic verses, but we cannot possibly allow a writer who use traditions (i.e., the so-called Sunna, hadiths, narratives, interpretations, etc. of Middle-Ages Muhammadan authors in their books) as part of Islam or source of religious knowledge used to understand the Quran. Those who cannot reject hadiths and Sunna traditions are no welcome to our website, and in many cases, we had to suspend their accounts on our website after they did not heed our many warnings. We part with them peacefully without much ado. There are others who enter our website to stir troubles and quarrels and reject our advice to them, and those troublemakers insult other Quranists and sometimes insult and verbally abuse our person. When the accounts of such people are suspended, they return using other new accounts and new pseudonyms. This made us stop accepting new members for a while, until we may re-open the registration with strict conditions stipulated and verifying the real identity of new members joining our website. In some other cases, some writers of articles who agree with us as far as Quranism is concerned leave us suddenly without prior notice, and without giving reasons. We feel sorry to lose them; asserting what we see as the truth always entail patience and bearing with persecutors and foes, and sometimes the terrorism imposed by tyrannical regimes or evil clergy of earthly, man-made religions. Life is a test that includes ordeals and calamities, as we assert always in our writings. We pray and implore the Almighty for us and for them to attain more guidance and patience to be among the winners on the Day of Judgment.           

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 Innovative, Genius Preachers  

Published in April 19, 2015

Question: …  Dear Sir, … I consider myself a moderate open-minded Muslim who likes to read to all modern preachers with new thought and ideas like yourself, and I admire other contemporary Muslim thinkers such as the late … … and the living ones: … … … What do you think? Why do not you write articles to show points of agreement and disagreement between them and their ideas and your school of thought named Quranism? … Thank you …    

Answer:

  With due respect to het names of thinkers you mention, their methodology differs a great deal from ours; they believe partially or wholly in the falsehoods called hadiths. We insist that books of hadiths are never part of Islam and that Islam is only the Quran. thus, we see that it is useless to discuss or refute their ideas; God will settle our differences and disputes in religion on the Last Day.

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His Legitimate Son

Published in January 25, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … A friend of mine committed fornication with a young woman, who give birth to a son later on … This friend has declared to everyone that the son is undoubtedly his, and he got married recently to the young woman after he made sure using DNA tests that this son is his … Yet, he is preoccupied with a question: is his son an illegitimate (natural) son, or a legitimate one as far as Islam is concerned? … Thank you for your time …      

Answer:

  Of course, this son is legitimate, even if he was born outside wedlock, and this son has all the rights due from his biological father, with or without marrying the mother. It is forbidden in Islam to deprive such an innocent guiltless son from his rights. 

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Sex-Change Operations

Published in January 25, 2017

Question: …  Salam 3alikom, Sir … I just wanna ask you about a transgender issue … Is it prohibited or not in Islam that a transgender/gay man to undergo sex-change operation to be a woman/girl? … Please I need your answer …    

Answer:

  Sex-change operations (from male to female or vice versa) are never prohibited; this is a personal desire or wish, and nothing in the Quran is mentioned to prohibit it at all. What is strictly prohibited in the Quran as major, grave sins are homosexual activities and heterosexual extramarital relations (i.e., fornication), whereas the minor sins or mistakes are any accts or words leading to both major sins. Both minor and major sins entail repentance (by abstaining) and atonement (by performing of many good deeds and acts of worship and by imploring God for pardon).

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Statistics of Hadiths

Published in January 25, 2017

Question: …  Dear Sir, … Peace be with you … I have come across this website that proves statistically that hadiths are mere fabrications and falsehoods and they are undermined and refuted by their so many contradictions … I'd like you to have a look and tell me your opinion: (https://sites.google.com/site/ahbaralhadith/home ) Thank you …   

Answer:

  Thank you, our son. We are afraid that we have no spare time; we hope some of our fellow Quranists would study this Arabic website whose link you have sent us and to comment on it in their articles on our website. Thank you again.

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Death and Taking Souls

Published in December 30, 2007

Question: … Dear Sir, … Could you explain to me 39:42 in relation to death? … What is the difference between taking souls and death in that verse? … Thank you in advance …    

Answer:

  Taking or receiving souls occurs in two ways: upon one's death (and the soul will not be returned to the body) and when one is asleep (and receives back the soul upon awakening), as we discern rom this verse: "God takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that have not died during their sleep. He retains those for which He has decreed death, and He releases the others until a predetermined time. In that are signs for people who reflect." (39:42). People's souls are gathered on the Last Day in bodies similar to theirs on earth but made from one's deeds (bad or good) to stand and bear the eternal life (in Hell or in Paradise) as per what each soul deserves. "And the earth will shine with the Light of its Lord; and the Book will be put in place; and the prophets and the witnesses will be brought in; and Judgment will be passed among them equitably, and they will not be wronged. And every soul will be fully compensated for what it had done. He is well aware of what they do." (39:69-70); "On the Day when every soul will come pleading for itself, and every soul will be paid in full for what it has done, and they will not be wronged." (16:111). More details are found on articles authored by us published on our website and our book about death and its meanings in the Quranic text.

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Renting of Wombs?

Published in April 24, 2013

Question: … Dear Sir, … Is it permissible or not in Islam to hire wit money a surrogate mother to make her womb carry the inseminated ovum of another married couple who desire to have a child of their own? … What about sperm banks? Is getting sperm to impregnate women a type of fornication or a sin? Is the child resulting from such insemination legitimate or not? … Would a person ascribe such a child to the name of the (dead or alive) sperm donor? … Thank you for your time …    

Answer:

   The sin of fornication is having extramarital sex (full insertion) between a man and a woman. This does not apply to renting wombs or hiring surrogate mothers; it is OK to do this. A child born from the surrogate mother is given the surname/ family name of the biological father as per the DNA. As for adopting a child who was conceived using sperm banks, this adoption must be done without giving the child the surname/ family name of the adoptive parents, as per Quranic sharia legislations.   

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Please Read Our Writings First

Published in August 17, 2012

Question: …  Dear Dr. Mansour, … Why you think that it is wrong to praise Prophet Muhammad by uttering the phrases ''peace be upon him'' and ''peace and blessings of God be upon him'' when his name is mentioned?! What about 33:56? … I really wanna be convinced to become a Quranist who may help you a lot and bring you more Quranists to join you … Peace be with you, sir …    

Answer:

   We refer you to our article (in English) on the topic you ask about:

http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=14140

  Please try to read first our archive of articles, fatwas, and books first before posing any repeated questions. As for help, financial or otherwise, we never ask anyone to help us nor do we accept someone who would impose conditions on us to help us. The only helpers we need should be volunteers seeking to please God, not any mortals, by joining our peaceful, intellectual jihad for the sake of Islam (Quranism). A reminder: all real Muslims should strive  and work on earning a place in Paradise by performing as many good deeds as possible. Thank you.

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Imams, Fealty, and Guardians

Published in April 22, 2007

Question: …  Dear Sir, … What about Shiite notions that Shiites claim they are derived from the Quranic verses, such as holy imams (e.g., Ali), fealty, and guardians of faith? Does the Quran refute or assert such notions? Are those guardians keep the book of the traditions passed on from Muhammad the Prophet? Thank you for your time … Thank you …    

Answer:

      These Shiite notions you mention are fabricated and has nothing whatsoever to do with the Quran. the same goes for the rest of Shiite, Sufi, and Sunnite notions; all of them contradict the Quranic tents and sharia legislations, especially by adding something or items never mentioned in the Quran. It is natural that the authors/fabricators of  the earthly, man-made Sunnite, Sufi, Shiite religions would adopt Quranic terms and give them other meanings to suit their purposes, while raising banners and mottoes that seem apparently 'great' in order to achieve their goal of attaining authority, power, and wealth by ascribing lies and falsehoods to Muhammad and to God. Although we focus on how Sunnite Wahabism and Sufism contradict the Quran, what we say applies to the Shiite religion as well.                        

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Fornication and Fates

Published in April 29, 2011

Question: …  Dear Sir, … Is the sin of fornication as well as its results is part of fates preordained or predestined to occur? … What if one man commits fornication with a married woman and she bear him a child, would the existence of that child be preordained by God? If so, why would fornicators be punished, then, in the Afterlife? Thank you …    

Answer:

  The fates ordained by God include births, and that someone would be the child of a certain mother and a certain father, whether born within wedlock or not. Yet, extramarital sex (i.e., the sin of fornication) is a choice between a man and a woman, and NOT a predestined act; hence, it is punished if one does not sincerely repent. What is predestined is when a natural child is born because of fornication. This child is of course innocent and never guilty, and therefore should never be stigmatized by law or by society. Sometimes, it is predestined that fornicators or even married couples will never have a child. This fate is part of God's decrees. Hence, Quranic sharia legislations are concerned with the sins committed as per one's choice, like fornication.      

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Forbidding Blood in Food

Published in January 20, 2007

Question: …  What is the blood forbidden as food item? What does this mean? Any slaughtered animal flesh contain blood, right? Could you explain this further? … Thank you …    

Answer:

  It is not forbidden to eat slaughtered animal flesh mixed with blood while being cooked, as we discern from 22:36-37 about sacrificial animals during pilgrimage. What is forbidden is to drink blood, as food, which was flowing from the slaughtered animal or even a live wounded animal. This is not  personal view or discerned one based on what is acceptable by people in modern times; rather,  we have concluded this from the Quranic verses that explain one another. Spilled blood of animals should never be consumed (as food or drink) as per verses 6:145 and 16:115.

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Undermining Historical Figures and Living People

Published in August 15, 2015

Question: …  What is the stance of you, Dr. Mansour, regarding those who undermine and attack people, living or dead, without tangible clear-cut evidence and proofs? … Would you accept someone undermining verbally abusing you personally based on mere narratives and rumors about you?! … You do this to many historical figures! How could you verify narratives about them?! …    

Answer:

 Firstly, tangible clear-cut evidence and proofs that may be deemed as absolute truth can never be found in this life; they will be shown on the Day of Judgment before the Almighty, Dominant, Omniscient  God, our Lord Allah. Any proofs in this life are relative by their very nature. When we judge books and narrative of Al-Bokhary, we do not care about him as an author or a historical figure, we care to refute his notions and ideas as contradicting the Quran, and therefore, the fact that his falsehoods and lies accepted as part of faith is questionable and not wholly tenable. As for historical figures, we judge their deeds and words ascribed to them in historical accounts, using the Quran as our criterion, especially when those historical figures have been turned into infallible deities within the earthly, man-made religions if the Sunnite, Shiite, and Sufi Muhammadans, who ascribe themselves and their false notions to Islam (the Quran). As for judging stances, words, and acts of living persons in modern times, ours are merely points of view that might be proven wrong or right with the passage of time; the only truly just and fair judgment on people will be only during the Day of Resurrection, and all human beings will be foes to one another before the Lord God as regarding settling their disputes, especially religious differences. We are, and all of people should be, waiting for the final judgment of God the Dominant on ourselves and our foes on the Last Day.