Fatwas Part One-Hundred-and-Twenty-Two

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

Do Not Feel Sad

Published in April 16, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, …  I am frustrated and grieved very much because today's Muslims cannot comprehend the Holy Quran or infer from it any discoveries which may benefit the human race! The Quran is not merely a book of guidance for the seekers of the Hereafter; I do believe it contains useful indications about the material world and how to lead a better life...............   … Thank you …    

Answer:

 Of course, you are perfectly right; please do not feel so sad and read our book, in English, titled "The West and the Miraculous Scientific Indications in the Holy Quran" , found on this link: (http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=151). We hope that the people of the West will read this book one day and make good use of the scientific indications found in the Holy Quran.

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Burned to Death!

Published in April 17, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … In a train accident, my friend's wife died and its corpse was burned beyond recognition; her identity was known only through the DNA analysis ........ My question is as follows: does such a tragic death (i.e., by being burned in this world) prevents her entering into Hell in the Hereafter? … Thank you …

Answer:

 No. The way in which one dies (e.g., natural death, murder, or torture) has nothing to do with the fate of the soul in the Hereafter. Dead people do not feel any pains; they are like those in a coma or those who fainted. One's fate in the Hereafter depends on one's deeds and faith. Please read our book, in English, about death:

http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=120

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Marriage of Minor Females!

Published in April 17, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … Does the Quran prohibit the marriage of minor females? I need some details about this, if you please........... … Thank you …

Answer:

 We refer you to our article, in English, about that topic:

http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=14075

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From Atheism to Quranism

Published in April 17, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … I lived in a Salafist/Wahabi family in my town in Iraq; as a young man, I hated all ideas pertaining to Sunnites and Shiites; I despised hadiths; I hated the so-called 'Islamists' like the terrorist MB organization and their likes. I embraced atheism when I studied at the university; years later, I immigrated to Russia and married a Christian woman; she is very religious but I do not care about reforming Christianity, and when I studied the doctrine of my wife, I found so many faults in it. As I grow old now, I feel that I must re-think and reconsider my atheism; I must seek true religion and think of my fate in the Hereafter; I seek to reform myself; I've decided, before coming across your great website, to rely only on the Quran as the Only Source of guidance; I knew that all what is needed is a new approach to God's Word. I sought help through the cyberspace; I found so many theories and ideas of religious reform; none of them satisfied my need to be able to comprehend the Quran in the right way; I came across your website and I admire your ideas; could you help me what to do now and how to embrace the Quran-only Islam? What am I to read and study? … Thank you …    

Answer:

 You are more than welcome to read and re-read our entire archive (videos, fatwas, articles, and books) within our website; our school of thought is based on rejecting all hadiths and fiqh and all books of heritage/traditions; we prove how such books contradict the Quran. We approach history within a Quranist vision to prove how deeds and beliefs of the Muhammadans contradict Islam. Of course, you must keep your critical mind while reading and pondering on our archive; please read and ponder the Quranic verses while seeking guidance from the Lord God after you grasp what Quranism is all about. We implore the Lord God to guide you to His Straight Path.

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Names of Women?!

Published in April 18, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … The Quranic text never mentions name of women, except Mary; why is that?! Did the Arab culture of the 7^th century despise women?! … Thank you …      

Answer:

 This is not true. Women were not despised by Arabs. Besides, the Quran rarely focus on names of men and women (and eras and locations) within the Quranic stories; the focus is on the moral lessons to be drawn. We have written a lot about this. Please read our book, in English, titled "Women's Right to Aspire to the Presidency of Any Islamic State", found on this link:

http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=79

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Caring for People's Feelings

Published in April 18, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … Does the Quran command us to care for other people's feelings? Where could we find this in the Quranic text? … Thank you …      

Answer:

 Yes; this is can be found in the Quranic command of charity towards one's relatives, friends, neighbors, and the poor and the needy. The Lord God says the following in the Quran: "...and be charitable to the parents, and the relatives, and the orphans, and the poor, and the neighbor next door, and the distant neighbor, and the close associate, and the traveler, and your servants..." (4:36).

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Anal Sex, Again!

Published in April 18, 2019

Question:  … Dear Sir, … I admire your ideas on your website very much; yet, I do not approve of your view that a husband may have anal sex with his wife! I myself cannot accept that my husband would demand this from me! Since we read in 2:222-223 that husbands must avoid having sex with their wives during menstruation, this means that the only sex permissible between married couples is vaginal sex … Thank you …        

Answer:

 You are mistaken; anal sex (as well as any other sexual practices) is OK among spouses provided that prior mutual consent is obtained; this is because such practices are not prohibited in the Quran. The only conjugal sex prohibited in the Quran is during the menstruation of the wives. That anal (and oral) sex is not prohibited is our own viewpoint based on our own understanding of the Quran; we bear responsibility for our Quranist views before the Lord God on the Last Day.

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People Have Changed!

Published in April 20, 2019

Question:  … Dear Sir, …  I am an Egyptian-American man; I have retired recently and my wife died; my sons settled in other states with their wives and they have good jobs; I am seriously considering my final return to Egypt to spend the rest of my life there; I visited Egypt only twice in the last 20 years; I am overwhelmed with nostalgia and memories .......... Yet, a friend of mine, of Egyptian origin like myself, laughed at my nostalgia and advised me to re-consider my decision; he told me people in Egypt have changed to the worse; he made me hesitant; any advice?  … Thank you …      

Answer:

 Your friend is right; Egypt and the Egyptians have radically changed in the past 50 years; your memories have nothing to do with today's Egypt. You will be shocked once you visit Egypt; do not settle there; do not cut all your ties with the USA; go in a brief journey to Egypt before you make up your mind based on what you will experience; you might choose to return to the USA for the rest of your life.

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A Question of Inheritance

Published in April 20, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … My father died and is survived by me, my mother, my paternal uncle, and my two sisters; I have also one half-sister who is the daughter of my father from a previous marriage; I have also another half-sister who is the daughter of my mother from a previous marriage; how would my father's money be distributed? … Thank you …   

Answer:

 Your half-sister who is not your father's daughter has no inheritance share; your paternal uncle has no inheritance share. Your mother must receive 1/8 of the money; the rest of the money is divided into five equal shares: two shares for you and one for each of the three daughters of your father.

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Cain and Abel, Again!

Published in April 20, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, …  A sheikh in our local mosque mentioned in his sermon that the murderous son of Adam (i.e., Cain?) who killed his brother (i.e., Abel?) carries the burden of all murderers on earth until the end of days as he taught humanity how to commit murder; is that true?! … Thank you …     

Answer:

 This is not true; this balderdash is refuted by this Quranic verse: "No burdened soul can carry the burden of another..." (35:18).

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About Rivers of Paradise

Published in April 21, 2019

Question: …  Dear Sir, … I sometimes wonder how rivers of Paradise will flow beneath the gardens and chambers of Paradise dwellers? I cannot imagine this............. …  Thank you …        

Answer:

 You must not pose questions about the metaphysical realm of the future; we have repeated this many times in our fatwas; all Quranic descriptions of Paradise are figurative and we cannot grasp them fully within our limited human minds. The Lord God says the following in the Quran about the Eternal Paradise which is the reward for the pious ones: "No soul knows what eye's delight awaits them - a reward for what they used to do." (32:17).

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The Quran and the Balance

Published in April 21, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir,  … I sometimes wonder at the strange ways in which Arabic/Quranic words are written; they differ a lot from today's Arabic spelling; besides, what proofs have we that the Quran, given by Allah to all humanity, is not distorted by Arabs after the death of Muhammad?! … Thank you …

Answer:

 The Quran has its own balance as per the numerical miracles in its text; the digital era proves that numbers are the balance of the universe and the language of our modern age of science. This proves the fact that the Quranic text is preserved by the Lord God Himself; no one can distort it: "It is God who revealed the Book with the Truth, and the Balance. And what will make you realize that perhaps the Hour is near?" (42:17). Besides, the Quran is the Criterion and Scales to weigh our deed and faith tenets.

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A Dishonest Lawyer

Published in April 21, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … My father divorced my mother so that I would be exempted from the obligatory military service in Egypt; my father & my mother returned to each other (as husband and wife) within an unregistered contract (i.e., Urfi marriage) soon afterwards. Years later, my father died. Now, my sister's husband (who is a lawyer) insists that my mother deserves no inheritance share because she is a divorced woman! He threatened to sue and scandalize my mother; he is keen on making my sister (his wife) have a bigger share of the money that way! My mother is devastated because of this scoundrel who threatens to scandalize and expose her; she does not care about any money; what am I to do to help her?! Any advice?!   …  Thank you …

Answer:

 This is a dishonest lawyer whose greed drives him to insult his mother-in-law and the grandmother of his children; why does your sister put up with his insulting her own mother that way in an unjust manner?! Of course, if this scoundrel sue your mother, you can bring the witnesses who signed the unofficial, unregistered marriage contract so that they testify on the favor of your mother; this way, you will restore the dignity of your mother and foil the evil plans of this greedy, dishonest lawyer.

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About Easter

Published in April 22, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir,  … Is it OK that Muslims greet and wish Christians a happy Easter?! What is your own view? … Thank you …     

Answer:

 It is very good to greet all people with the greetings of peace, amity, and love; you do not have to believe in Easter or in any other religious feasts (or religious myths) to do so; it is perfectly right to wish your Christian friends, while smiling cordially, a happy and joyous Easter. The Lord God says the following in the Quran: "...and speak nicely to people..." (2:83).

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Yes, This Is Part of Zakat

Published in April 22, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir,  … A friend of mine borrowed LE 6000 from me; he is impoverished now and cannot settle his debt to me; I consider waiving/overlooking this debt and to tear the IOU he signed to me; I consider this as part of Zakat; is this part of Zakat or not? Any ideas? … Thank you … 

Answer:

 Yes; this is part of Zakat; may the Lord God bless and reward you for your charity with your poor friend.

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Celebrating the 7^th Day

Published in April 22, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … Is it OK in Islam to celebrate the 7^th day after the birth of my male baby? Any ideas? …  Thank you …    

Answer:

 This is OK as long as you do this as a social tradition in Egypt and not as a religious celebration. Of course, all prohibitions mentioned in the Quran must be avoided all the time and especially within any social traditions.  

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Surrogate Mothers, Again

Published in April 23, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … I live in the USA .......... Is it OK in Islam that I hire a surrogate mother to carry in her womb the ovum of my wife (inseminated by my own spermatozoa)? Any ideas? … Thank you …    

Answer:

 Yes; this is OK; we have said this before in a previous fatwa; this means your son/daughter born that way will have two mothers: your wife and the surrogate mother; the children of the surrogate mother will be siblings to your son/daughter born out of her womb.

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Erroneous Methodology

Published in April 23, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … I have my own methodology of pondering the Quran based on the idea that (1) Arabic words have a meaning/denotation and its quite opposite meaning/denotation, and (2) connotations of Arabic words differ from one era to the other; this will generate various unprecedented ponderings such as these ones about the Quranic Chapter 12 ....... I assume that Joseph in Egypt ........................................ What do you think?   … Thank you …  

Answer:

 The Lord God says the following in the Quran: "We send down in the Quran healing and mercy for the believers, but it increases the unjust ones only in loss." (17:82). Your erroneous methodology is unacceptable and silly; it has nothing to do with Quranism. You seek to undermine and cast doubt on the Quranic verses by imposing your own whims. You purposefully twist the meanings of Quranic verses by linguistic labyrinthine balderdash fabricated by your own imagination and which has nothing to do with linguistics of the Arabic tongue. If you insist on following your own erroneous methodology, please do not send us any email messages at all. Of course, Quranism is about making the Quran one's Guide, Criterion, and Imam/Leader. Quranism is about pondering the Quran based on its own terminology within local contexts and the general one throughout the Quranic text; this is exemplified in these two articles of ours (in English):

http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=16303

http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=16993

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Read our Books!

Published in April 24, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, … The Quran mentions very little about the universe; in contrast, the NASA people tells us a lot about the outer space .................... … Thank you …  

Answer:

 You are extremely mistaken. There are Quranic scientific indications which surpass modern science; we advise you to read our book about Barsakh and also the one about the Quranic scientific indications, found in English on these two links, respectively:

http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=138

http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=151

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Government Employees

Published in April 24, 2019

Question: … Dear Sir, …  I'm about to reach the age of retirement in Egypt (i.e., the age of 60), and after 35 years of working as a government employee, my salary is very low and my pension will be very little; it will not be enough for covering my expenses, especially that I'm very ill and I need expensive medicaments ......... People think that I'm a rich, high-rank employee! Little do they know! ........ Am I among the ones who deserve to receive Zakat money? … Thank you …        

Answer:

 Yes you are among those categories who deserve to receive Zakat/alms money. This Quranic phrase applies to you: "...The unaware would think them rich, due to their dignity..." (2:273). May the Lord God bless and help you.