Fatwas Part Fifty-Five

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

Local Anesthesia

Published in September 16, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … Within your article about souls feeling pains inside the bodies (found on this link: http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=17213), you have said that anesthetized bodies within surgeries does not feel pain … But I feel bound to tell you that I have undergone a surgery recently, and only the lower half of my body was anesthetized, and I did not have a coma; I was still conscious and kept talking to the surgeon; this means my souls did not left my body and at the same time, I did not feel any pain … What do you think? …Thank you …    

Answer:

  You are perfectly right; local anesthesia does NOT cause coma or fainting so that souls go to Barsakh like when we are asleep.

-----------------------------------------------------          

My Elder Brother

Published in September 16, 2017

Question: …  Dear Sir, … When doctors found out years ago that I'm a sterile person, my wife divorced me, and now I am the owner of a workshop and I earn good money, along with my business partner who is my younger brother and a great helper of mine. We both have an elder brother who never contact us; he stole our due shares of inheritance from our parents. The problem is that I am very ill and I feel that my death is near; my younger brother cares about me, whereas the elder brother never cares to ask about me. When I'm dead, the only inheritors would be my elder brother and my younger one. I feel that the elder brother does not deserve to have any share of my possessions and money when I die; this would be unjust to my younger brother who helped me all his life within all stages of building our workshop … People advised me to sell my share of the workshop to my younger brother, but he refused because this might be a violation of the Quranic laws of inheritance … What do you think?  … Thank you …  

Answer:

 God has preordained a certain lifetime duration for every human beings; your elder brother may die before you even if you are ill. Anyway, it is NOT prohibited that you would give your younger brother anything in return for his endeavors; you may also write a written will and testament and give him part of the inheritance. The rest should be halved between him and your elder brother if he outlives you.   

-----------------------------------------------------           

Intercession in This World

Published in September 17, 2017

Question: …  Dear Sir, … Is this 4:85 focusing on intercession in this world or on the Hereafter? … Thank you …

Answer:

 God says in the Quran: "Whoever intercedes for a good cause has a share in it, and whoever intercedes for an evil cause shares in its burdens. God keeps watch over everything." (4:85); this verse is related to mediators and intercessors in this world, for evil or good causes who recommend things, acts, or persons. There is no intercession in the Hereafter on the Last Day at all: "O you who believe! Spend from what We have given you, before a Day comes in which there is neither trading, nor friendship, nor intercession. The disbelievers are the unjust ones." (2:254). Intercession in this world may be evil if one tells lies or fabricates slanders against someone, or good when one seeks to help others within good intentions. Angels record our good and bad deeds, and this book of deeds is the witness of souls who deserve either Hell or Paradise.  

--------------------------------------------------------                    

A Question of Inheritance

Published in September 17, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … One man and his two sisters are to inherit shares in a house that has a ground-floor, and three other floors, and a fourth unfinished floor; could the man take two floors and one of the sisters the third floor and the other one the fourth unfinished floor?! If not, how such inheritance be distributed? Any advice? … Thank you …    

Answer:

  A male inheritor is to take double share of one sister as per the Quranic laws; in your case, the share of the man should be equal to both shares of the two sisters combined together. Thus, this man is to get half of the inheritance  and each of the two sisters will receive one-quarter. We advise you to bring auditors to set the monetary value of the house and each floor, then to distribute the money as per the shares mentioned in the Quran.   

-----------------------------------------------------                     

About Written Will and Testament

Published in September 18, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … Could shed light on 2:180 about written wills? … How could anyone write a last will and testament while he/she are dying? … Thank you …      

Answer:

 God says in the Quran: "It is decreed for you: when death approaches one of you, and he leaves wealth, to make a testament in favor of the parents and the relatives, fairly and correctly-a duty upon the righteous." (2:180). This does not mean to write wills only when one is dying; rather, this means that one should write his/her written will and testament as soon as possible (or to confirm/change the existing one), as one does not know the date, timing, and location of one's death. This is a general rule to all believers. The written will and testament differ from due inheritance shares to relatives specified in the Quranic laws. Wills aim to achieve maximum human justice possible in distribution of wealth while bearing in mind those in much need who deserve more money and thus injustice is avoided as much as we can. For instance, when a merchant has two sons, one who helped the father in his work and one who was pampered and never worked; it is justice to write a will to give more shares to the son who helped his father. The same applies to the man who has a well-off son and a poor son. Thus, written will and testament is ordained in the Quran in addition to inheritance shares stipulated in the Quranic Chapter Four to achieve justice.  

-----------------------------------------------------                    

What Is Reaching God?

Published in September 18, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … What are your view(s) about 22:37? What would reach God and what would not?! I cannot understand this quite well; any ideas? …Thank you …   

Answer:

 God says in the Quran:  Neither their flesh, nor their blood, ever reaches God. What reaches Him is the piety from you. Thus He subdued them to you, that you may glorify God for guiding you. And give good news to the charitable. (22:37). This verse is in the context of sharia laws and rituals of pilgrimage that include sacrificial animals: "We have made the animal offerings as part of rituals of God ordained upon you..." (22:36), and pilgrims may eat of this meat and they are to feed the poor from it as well. Thus, God asserts in 22:37 that He does not need nor does He benefit from the sacrificial animals, as they are for human beings to eat, but He knows those who are sincerely pious and obedient to Him and seek to please Him. The use of the verb (reach) in 22:37 is I the figurative sense, not the physical one; this is part of the figurative language used in the Quranic text to make readers understands. Good deeds, of course, are recorded by angels and are raised to Him so that He rewards doers of good deeds: "...To Him ascends speech that is pure, and He elevates righteous conduct..." (35:10). 

-----------------------------------------------------                    

A Message from Mr. Abdullah

Published in September 19, 2017

Question:  … Dear Sir, … Greetings to you; words cannot tell how much I admire your great episodes of your YouTube show "Quranic Moments" … I feel enlightened when you make me feel and discover how God in the Quran speaks to us about types of disbelievers and unjust ones present in all eras, and we see how they exist in our world today in all locations; disbelievers of today reject Quranic facts and tenets while repeating the same silly and illogical narratives of their forefathers who rejected the Quran, as all of them follow the footsteps of Satan … I wonder why the Muhammadans could not receive a wake-up call from your videos and website. May God open their eyes to the Quranic Light one day  …Thank you …         

Answer:

  The Quran is the only criterion for real believers to measure their own degree of faith/belief in monotheism; we mean to say that when real Quran-believing Muslims learn from the Quran what contradicts inherited religious notions or tenets, their hearts must tremble in reverence and repent, as they correct their belief system. They must believe in the Quranic views/notions while prostrating in piety and fear of the Lord God; these are real believers as per the Quranic criterion, because they prefer the Quran to any man-made notions and books. Polytheists who hate the Quran argue against it to support views of other deities (i.e., authors of Sunnite/Sufi/Shiite books of the Middle-Ages) and endeavor to undermine or distort the meanings of Quranic verses in arrogance and in defiance; these are hypocrites indeed. We hope very much that our videos of "Quranic Moments" serve as eye-openers to all viewers and as tools to expose hypocritical clergymen of the Muhammadans and their followers. Sometimes, we delete their comments of verbal abuse under our videos; such comments indicate the sickness of their hearts because they hate the Quranic Truth; God will not guide them because they hate God's Word. We are still wondering why the Muhammadans cannot simply believe in the Quran only and reject other books authored by Middle-Ages writers.     

-----------------------------------------------------                    

The Kurdish Referendum

Published in September 19, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … What do you personally think of the Iraqi Kurdistan independence referendum in Iraq? … Thank you …   

Answer:

  We support this step; it is the basic right of any nation to take steps leading to self-determination within lands they own. This applies to Kurds living where they live in Iraq for thousands of years till now. Many empires and states were established on their lands without their acceptance. It is silly that Great Britain and France at the time created borders of Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkey without considering the Kurds. It will be a great moment when a state called Kurdistan would be established despite all hardships and difficulties and after a about century of such injustice committed by Great Britain and France. Those who oppose this referendum are tyrants ruling the four countries: Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkey, as if Kurds were private property to any of these tyrants. The only thing we fear is that the new Kurdish state would have a dictator as its leader, whether its president would be the Kurdish politician Barzani or any other person. We hope that the Kurds would have a democratic State based on human rights, absolute religious freedom, justice, political freedom, and peaceful transition of authority and power.

-----------------------------------------------------                    

Confused and Depressed

Published in September 20, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … I'm confused and depressed; hypocrisy, deceit, swindling, fornication, thefts, nepotism, corruption, and other sins spread everywhere where I live; no one can have healthy friendships that are not based on mutual interest. What am I to do to go on living without stress and depression?! … Thank you …   

Answer:

 The only thing you can do is to cling and adhere to God's Word; be glad that you avoid sins and disobedience as you adhere to piety; rest assured that God will make a way out for you and grant you His bounties. "...And whoever fears God in piety - He will make a way out for him. And will provide for him from where he never expected. Whoever relies on God - He will suffice him..." (65:2-3).

-----------------------------------------------------                    

Between Grants and Inheritance 

Published in September 20, 2017

Question: …  Dear Sir, … Is it OK that a person would grant all his/her possessions and wealth to one of the potential inheritors or anyone else, before he/she dies? … Thank you …      

Answer:

 Since one is alive, there are no ''inheritors" and "inheritance" yet. inheritance is money left after one's death to be distributed within certain shares among the inheritors as per the Quranic legislations. Since one is alive, he/she are free to do anything with his/her wealth. If the rich person desires to apply and follow God's Quranic sharia; he/she must be moderate in spending without extravagance or stinginess: "And those who, when they spend, are neither wasteful nor stingy, but choose a middle course between that." (25:67); "And give the relative his rights, and the poor, and the wayfarer, and do not squander wastefully. The extravagant are brethren of the devils, and the devil is ever ungrateful to his Lord." (17:26-27); "And do not keep your hand tied to your neck, nor spread it out fully, lest you end up liable and regretful." (17:29). Moderation also is advised in spending for God's sake within alms/Zakat and donations: "...And they ask you about what they should give: say, "The surplus...." (2:219).  

-----------------------------------------------------

This Was Fornication, NOT Marriage!

Published in September 21, 2017

Question: …  Dear Sir, … A man got married to my mother without witnesses, a dowry, or a marriage contract, and he had sex with her every night for two weeks until they separated by verbal divorce. They pronounced each other as husband and wife in the presence of no one but myself, her only daughter! Was this marriage legal and valid or not?! Another problem is that this man has proposed to me, asserting to me that his 'marriage' to my mother was illegal anyway! And he desires to marry me legally at a marriage registrar. Am I allowed to marry such a man! I feel confused! What do you think?! … Thank you …        

Answer:

  This man and your mother are fornicators who should repent; they were never married in the first place. You cannot marry a male fornicator since you are a chaste woman, as per Islamic laws in the Quran. Besides, this fornicator who copulated with your mother cannot get married to you at all, even if he repents his sins.

-----------------------------------------------------                    

Friday Noon Prayers, Again

Published in September 21, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir,  … Could you explain to me the verse 62:9 about the Friday congregational prayers? I feel confused because I read an article by a Quranist writer on your website that asserts that there are no Friday congregational prayers and the writer assumes that the daily prayers are three and not five! I feel confused and perplexed!  … Thank you …

Answer:

  We refer you to our previous fatwas and articles about the religious duty of the Friday congregational prayers, and how we, Quranists, avoid entering harmful mosques of the Muhammadans and we pray the Friday noon prayers (and indeed all prayers daily) inside our houses, alone or in groups. Please give us the link of the article you refer to in your email message and the name of its author so that we remove it; rest assured that no true Quranists might deny the five daily prayers.

-----------------------------------------------------                    

Imploring God for the Sake of Others

Published in September 22, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … If a man asks another man to pray for him and implore and supplicate to God on behalf of him, would this be polytheistic in your opinion? … Thank you …    

Answer:

 It is OK to supplicate and implore God for the sake of others and for their benefit, provided that no one is to assume that someone is 'holy' and God will answer his/her prayers; there are no holy or non-holy mediators between human beings and God.

------------------------------------------------------    

Pretending to Be Bankrupt

Published in September 22, 2017

Question: …  Dear Sir, … A sheikh in a nearby mosque in the state where I live in the USA said in a sermon that it is OK for a Muslim man to pretend to be broke or bankrupt to avoid paying interests of bank loans he has received, as interest rates are too much and this is against Islam that prohibits usury and money-lending at compound interest? What do you think of that?  … Thank you …  

Answer:

  This view is a grave error and totally wrong; since a man accepts to get a bank-loan at (compound) interests and signs a contract to that effect, he must honor contracts as per this Quranic verse: "O you who believe! Fulfill your contracts..." (5:1). A real Muslim must not resort to acts of swindling, pretension, and deception (by feigning to be broke or bankrupt) to escape paying loans, as this is clearly prohibited in Islam because this is the sin of consuming ill-gotten money and it will be a violation of the verse 5:1. 

--------------------------------------------------------                    

Al-Aqsa Mosque Again!

Published in September 23, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … Many other Muslim thinkers such as.....assume that there are historical evidence to support that Prophet Muhammad was miraculously transported to Jerusalem within the Night-Journey, and not to Mount Al-Tur in Sinai as you claim in your fatwas … What proofs do you have to support your own view?  … Thank you …      

Answer:

 The mosque called Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem is NOT the one mentioned in 17:1. The one mentioned in the Quran literally means the Far-Mosque. Jerusalem is never mentioned in the Quran at all and it contains no sacred sites related to Islam at all, unlike the case with Mecca that contains the Sacred Kaaba Mosque. The Jerusalem mosque erected by the caliph Abdul-Malik Ibn Marwan an finished by his son, the caliph Al-Waleed, is based on the myths invented by orators and preachers serving the Umayyads who fabricated hadiths about locations where Muhammad came and supposedly ascended to heaven. This is nonsensical, because Muhammad never ascended to heaven, and this myth is refuted beforehand in 17:93. As for Quranic proofs that Muhammad was transported to Sinai, at Mount Al-Tur, to receive the Quran inside his heart, where Moses received the Torah tablets before him, we refer you to our book about the Night-Journey which is also called the Night of Decree (see the Quranic Chapter 97). We refer readers to our book (in English) titled "Egypt in the Holy Quran" found on this link: http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=97  and here is the link to the annex of this book titled (The Egyptian Sinai in the Quran) which tackles briefly the Quranic evidence the proves that Muhammad was transported in the Night-Journey to Mount Al-Tur: http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/chapter.php?main_id=834    

-----------------------------------------------------                    

Quranic Terminology

Published in September 23, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … I am sorry to say that I find the literal Quranic term for (dowry) paid to wives is (wages) in this verse: "...If you wish to enjoy them, then give them their wages - a legal obligation...." (4:24), and this makes marriage similar to prostitution but to one man! Is this not insulting to women?! … Thank you  … 

Answer:

 Our dear daughter, you have grossly misunderstood 4:24, besides, the Quranic terminology differs from modern-Arabic terms that we use today. We refer you to our series of articles related to Quranic terminology, as it helps young Quranist researchers. The term (wages) in 4:24 simply means a dowry. The Quranic term (spouses) refers to husbands and wives; another misunderstood Quranic term is (Nikah), as Salafists assume it means copulation with one's spouse, whereas we have proven that it means only drawing marriage contracts. Please read more within our archive to learn more about this topic of Quranic terminology. 

-----------------------------------------------------                    

A Mere Joke

Published in September 24, 2017

Question: …  Dear Sir, … Some people make jokes and funny stories about conjugal life and problems by using the names of Adam and Eve; is this sinful and insulting to prophet Adam? What do you think? … Thank you …

Answer:

 This is neither sinful nor prohibited; it is a mere joke addressing men and women. What is really sinful and prohibited is to ascribe hadiths to Muhammad or to directly God.  

-----------------------------------------------------                    

Avoiding Injustice

Published in September 24, 2017

Question: …  Dear Sir, … My first-born son died and I care now for his young children as their guardian. This late son of mine used to work with me and my wealth tripled because of his endeavors. I have other sons and daughters, and my grandchildren who are the children of my late son cannot inherit me since my inheritors after my death are my other sons and daughters, as per Quranic law, but I wanna avoid being unjust to my grandchildren who are the children of my late son: am I to write in my will and testament shares for them or not? Should I give them shares while I am still alive by selling them certain assets? What do you think? … Thank you …    

Answer:

 Of course, you must act justly and fairly toward your grandchildren who are the children of your late son; you can specify a share of your wealth (i.e., that your eldest son should have inherited if he were to outlive you) plus the money he deserved for helping you in your trade/business, and give your grandchildren (and your son's widow) this money/assets before you die (and appoint a guardian for them to protect their money). As for will and testament, this should be regarding your own money, the sums/assets left after you give your late son's children their money. 

-----------------------------------------------------                    

ISIS and the MB Terrorists

Published in June 17, 2014

Question: … Dear Sir, … Upon reading your great book titled "The Wahabi Opposition Movements in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Twentieth Century" (http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=85), I cannot help but wonder why such recent history is not widely known? The cursed KSA is the one who created all terrorists of the MB and similar Wahabi terrorist groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda, and very few know this and no one would punish the KSA! Why such history of bloodshed of the KSA is not made known to all Arabs?  … Thank you …  

Answer:

  The reason is that the oil-rich KSA, within its tyranny and corruption, is spending US$ billions to stop anyone worldwide (even inside the USA and the West) to criticize the KSA and Wahabism. The KSA is the axis of evil worldwide because of its Wahabism and its sponsoring terrorism. The Saudi royal family members spend billions to repel people away from the Quran: God's Path. We beseech you and all our fellow Quranists to spread links of our writings within cyberspace to spread enlightenment among the youth so that their frustrations and fury would not drive them to join ISIS or any other terrorist organizations.   

-----------------------------------------------------                             

Eight Kinds in Pairs

Published in July 10, 2014

Question: … Dear Sir, …  Could you kindly explain to me the meaning of the phrase (eight kinds in pairs) mentioned in the verse 39:6? … Thank you …   

Answer:

 God says in the Quran: "He created you from one person, then made from it its mate, and brought down livestock for you - eight kinds in pairs. He creates you in the wombs of your mothers, in successive formations, in a triple darkness. Such is God, your Lord. His is the kingdom. There is no god but He. So what made you deviate?" (39:6). This refers to domesticated animals and livestock serving human beings as source of food etc. (see also 22:37). The main division of this livestock (both wild and domesticated) are eight pairs; this is explained further in the Quranic Chapter Six within the context of polytheists prohibiting food items for no reason at all: "Among the livestock are some for transportation, and some for clothing. Eat of what God has provided for you, and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. He is to you an outright enemy. Eight pairs: two of the sheep, and two of the goats. Say, "Did He forbid the two males, or the two females, or what the wombs of the two females contain? Inform me with knowledge, if you are truthful."And two of the camels, and two of the cows. Say, "Did He forbid the two males, or the two females, or what the wombs of the two females contain? Were you present when God enjoined this upon you?" Who does greater wrong than he who invents lies and attributes them to God, in order to mislead people without knowledge? God does not guide the unjust people." (6:142-144). This means that the eight pairs are sheep, goats, camels, and cows (with each containing male and female animals and wild and domesticated types), and under this classification fall other types like reindeers, gazelles, buffaloes, donkeys, etc. The anatomy of such animals falls into the categories of the eight pairs, and vets and other specialists can give us more information about this.