Fatwas: Part Thirty-Four

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

Unjust Ones!

Published in April 5, 2017

Question: …  Dear Sir, … My boss has done me a great wrong at work; he used my name and degree as an engineer without my consent to get construction contracts and I asked him to remove my name, but he did not… I'm too weak and too timid to sue him for the psychological harm he's done; will God reward me for my patience within such injustice inflicted upon me? … Thank you …     

Answer:            

 Yes; the wronged parties who could not restore their rights have this great chance to pardon and forgive, thus getting large rewards from God in Eternal Paradise.

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

Prayers of the Thirsty and Hungry Ones

Published in April 5, 2017

Question: …  Dear Sir, … Is it OK as per Quranism to perform prayers while feeling hungry and/or thirsty? … Thank you …  

Answer:

 God accepts prayers performed in piety, devoutness, and in the fear of the Lord, especially when piety remains with one all day long (i.e., avoiding sins). We tend to think that hunger and thirst never hinder attaining piety during prayers; as each of the five prayers do not take long time to make hunger and thirst pose a problem at all when praying. 

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

Read Your Book

Published in April 5, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … As per you Quranist vision, in your article about each soul having two bodies (a transient one on earth and an eternal one on the Last Day), one will read one's book of deeds on the Judgment Day. But how come that some people are illiterate and yet they will be able to read it in the Hereafter? … Thank you …      

Answer:

   God says in the Quran: "For every person We have attached his fate to his neck. And on the Day of Resurrection, We will bring out for him a book which he will find spread open. "Read your book; today there will be none but yourself to call you to account."" (17:13-14). This book of deeds of nations and of individuals will be audiovisual and understood by each soul, not written in any language known on earth; the book of each of us records our deeds, feelings, movements, whispers, etc. and such aspects are common language for all humanity, and all souls will see deeds of the other souls as well; disgrace and shame will occur then to hypocrites and clergy.   

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

I'd Like to Have an Account

Published in April 6, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … I'm a regular reader of your website, and I think it is high time to create an account on it as a Quranist who can write comments and articles … How can I register to have an account? … Thank you …     

Answer:

   As usual, you are to send us on our email a message, using a new email, including information about you: your name, middle name, last name, date of birth, home country, residence country, and current city. You have to assure us that you will stick to the two conditions of our website: never to ascribe hadiths to Muhammad and never to deny Quranic facts of Islam. Later on, your account will be created and a username and a password will be sent to you. Later on, as per user's comments and level of knowledge, he or she might be a writer of articles.

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

 Religion Is How You Treat Others

Published in April 6, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … Some Arab people say as an aphorism that the essence of religion is how one treats other people … Is this phrase true in your opinion? … Thank you …    

Answer:

 Certainly yes; Islam literally means peace, security, ethics, and high morals in how people deal with one another, regardless of faiths (Quranists, Sufis, Sunnites, Shiites, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, etc.) or lack of them (i.e., atheism, agnosticism, or deism), as this is judged only by God on the Last Day for all human beings as all of them differ in religions; what we focus here on our life on earth is peaceful dealings among human beings.    

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

Devils and the Physical World

Published in April 6, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … Many people quote 21:82 Abut Solomon and devils to assert that devils have control over the physical world/realm; is that true? … What do you think? … Thank you …    

Answer:

 This is not true; devils are ethereal beings and cannot be seen by mortals and they cannot have any power over the material realm; they are more powerful than human beings and their physical world. Their deeds are different from those of human beings; God says in the Quran: "And of the devils were some that dived for him, and performed other, lesser tasks. But We kept them restrained." (21:82).

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

Charity and Goodness

Published in April 7, 2017

Question:  … Dear Sir, … Is there a difference in the Quranic text between the terms "charity" and "goodness" in relation to parents?  … Thank you …      

Answer:

 Not at all; we read the following verses about ''goodness'': "We made a covenant with the Children of Israel: "Worship none but God; and be good to parents, and relatives, and orphans, and the needy; and speak nicely to people; and pray regularly, and give alms." Then you turned away, except for a few of you, recanting." (2:83); "We have advised the human being to be good to his parents. But if they urge you to associate with Me something you have no knowledge of, do not obey them. To Me is your return; and I will inform you of what you used to do." (29:8). And we read about charity in this verse: "Your Lord has commanded that you worship none but Him, and that you be charitable to your parents. If either of them or both of them reach old age with you, do not say to them a word of disrespect, nor scold them, but say to them kind words." (17:23).

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

Preaching and Ill-Gotten Money

Published in April 7, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … Is it OK for formal preachers in mosques appointed by government to take their salaries? Some of them do not; thinking it is against preaching as a holy duty for God's sake …  What do you think? … Thank you …   

Answer:

     If the preachers misguide people by polytheistic notions, salaries in that case are ill-gotten money; on the other hand, salaries or fees in return for sermons are OK only if one preaches the Quranic Truth.

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

Mourning and Reward

Published in April 7, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … Is it rewarding by God as a religious duty to offer condolences to the deceased person's family members in a state of mourning? Or Is it mere social habit or custom? … Thank you …   

Answer:

  This depends on what one says as words of condolence; if one preaches the Truth while doing so, it is OK and rewarded by God; on the other hand, if one glorifies the deceased person by asserting he/she is in Paradise and one would talk nonsense of 'paradise' and 'torment' inside tombs, while making such falsehoods ascribed to religion, this is a grave sin.  

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

Murdering Prophets

Published in April 8, 2017

Question: …  Dear Sir, … Why God let some prophets get murdered by some of the disbelievers of the Israelites as per 3:112? God is supposed to save believers as per 10:103, right? … Could you please explain this to me? …Thank you …      

Answer:

  As for 10:103, it tackles salvation of faithful believers when their disbelieving people were smitten and destroyed by God: "Say, "Look at what is in the heavens and the earth." But signs and warnings are of no avail for people who do not believe. Do they expect anything but the likes of the days of those who passed away before them? Say, "Then wait, I will be waiting with you." Then We save Our messengers and those who believe. It is binding on Us to save the believers." (10:101-103); "Before you, We sent messengers to their people. They came to them with clear proofs. Then We took revenge on those who sinned. It is incumbent on Us to help the believers." (30:47). This has nothing to do with Israelite prophets who got murdered, mentioned in 2:246 as a new era began after the punishment of Moses' Pharaoh, when God no longer smites nations and believers defended themselves, after Moses died: "Have you not considered the notables of the Israelites after Moses? When they said to a prophet of theirs, "Appoint a king for us, and we will fight in the cause of God." He said, "Is it possible that, if fighting was ordained for you, you would not fight?" They said, "Why would we not fight in the cause of God, when we were driven out of our homes, along with our children?" But when fighting was ordained for them, they turned away, except for a few of them. But God is aware of the wrongdoers." (2:246); "God has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties in exchange for Paradise. They fight in God's way, and they kill and get killed. It is a promise binding on Him in the Torah, and the Gospel, and the Quran. And who is more true to his promise than God? So rejoice in making such an exchange-that is the supreme triumph." (9:111).   

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

Friday as a Day Off

Published in April 8, 2017

Question: …  Dear Sir, … Is it prohibited to work on Fridays as per some extremists' views imitating Jewish extremists about Saturdays? … Thank you …         

Answer:

 Not prohibited at all, as we infer from this verse in the Quranic chapter 62, title "Friday": "Then, when the prayer is concluded, disperse through the land, and seek God's bounty, and remember God much, so that you may prosper." (62:10). Vacations and days off are OK as per laws of any given country, and no one is prevented from performing acts of worship on Fridays  or any other days.

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

Dr. Ismail Mansour

Published in April 9, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … Have you read books of the late Muslim thinker Dr. Ismail Mansour? If so, what is your opinion of his works?  … Thank you …

Answer:

    Indeed, he gave us as a gift two of his books, one about denying penalty of apostasy and the other about denying the myth of torment of the grave/tomb. Our books preceding his, as we have published books about the same topics in 1993. His two books are filled repeated phrases and other useless details unrelated to the topic, and he talks a lot about himself; we did not like his writing style in both books.   

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

Soul!

Published in April 9, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … As per this verse: "...You know what is in my soul, and I do not know what is in your soul..." (5:116), does God has a soul? What does this mean? … Thank you …     

Answer:

   The word ''soul'' here means God's Self, not a literal soul as in ''human soul''; we have explained in our book of interpretation and we refer you to it. briefly, we say here that sometimes God in the Quran uses human words to indicate something related to Him so that we understand; this does not mean any humanizing aspects of God.                     

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

Talismans and Amulets

Published in April 9, 2017

Question: …  Dear Sir, … Is it prohibited to keep talismans and amulets to bring luck or protection? … Thank you …   

Answer:

 Ones who think that such items bring fortune or protection are polytheists for sure.

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

Quranic Chapter One Is a Must

Published in April 10, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … God does not specify the Quranic Chapter One to be read in daily prayers as per "…So read of the Quran what is possible for you…" (73:20) … What do you think? …Thank you …     

Answer:

  The verse you refer to is about reading the Quran alone at night as an act of worship to increase one's stature before the eyes of the Almighty God. ReadingQuranic Chapter One is a must in daily prayers, as the daily prayers timing and movements are inherited from the religion of Abraham; we refer you to previous fatwas and books where we have proved and mentioned this many times.          

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

Preferring Muhammad to God!

Published in April 10, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … I'm a new Quranist who is still reading your books … I'm reading you book about denying intercession, and I agree with you, but I'm thinking that you're exaggerating when you describe Muhammadans as polytheists; no one said explicitly that Muhammad is a deity above God himself an no one dares to say so … I'm shocked that an Azharite professor who has a Ph.D. degree like you would say so; would you please explain further to me what do you mean? … Thank you  …  

Answer:

 We never take pride in being an Azharite Ph.D. degree bearer who once taught at Al-Azhar University like thousands of cattle whose bovine stupidity spread polytheism of Wahabism. We are just a Muslim thinker and reformist preaching reform using the Quran, and we take pride in our thousands of unprecedented writings (fatwas, articles, books, and research papers) published online and we deserve to take pride in our writings with all modesty. We must beg to insist that we have described Muhammadans in the right manner; they deify implicitly Muhammad as if he were an immortal deity above God Himself; they assume in their myths that when God condemns sinners to Hell, Muhammad would 'force' God to revoke His judgment via so-called intercession! This makes them deem Muhammad as a god above the Creator Himself! This is sheer and utter blasphemy, as you see. The same polytheism continues when Muhammadans worship with all sanctity and piety in ardent tears at the tomb/mausoleum in Yathreb ascribed to Muhammad, thinking he is alive as an 'immortal saint' in his grave! This leads them to glorify and sanctify Muhammad's name whenever mentioned before them, while NEVER glorifying or sanctifying God's name when Quran is read/recited to them. Polytheism goes on when Muhammadans believe in the myth that the Satanist hadiths (they are over one million now, as they have increased with the passage of centuries!) ascribed to Muhammad supplant and replace Quranic verses! The Muhammadans never agree to mention God's name alone; they must add the name of Muhammad linked to Him; they never agree that the true testimony of Islam is (There is no God but Allah), as they insist to add Muhammad's name to it! This is utter polytheism as you see. Such are few examples showing how the Muhammadans place Muhammad (i.e., an imaginary deity of their own fashioning who has nothing to do with Muhammad in the Quran as a mortal prophet) above Almighty God Himself! Please read more within our archive while retaining your calmness; purify your heart with the Quranic Truth; remember that 100% of sanctification and deification in your heart must be dedicated to God, our Creator, not 99% for Him and 1% to any mortals (prophets or not).                 

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

It Is OK

Published in April 11, 2017

Question: …  Dear Sir, … Some performers of congregational prayers repeat the phrase "Yes, certainly" when the imam would utter certain verses such as 95:8 and 75:40 … Is this OK during prayers? … Thank you …

Answer:

  It is OK

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

Money of Waqfs

Published in April 11, 2017

Question: …  Dear Sir, …  What do you think of the money linked with Ministry of Waqfs (i.e., religious endowments) … Thank you …     

Answer:

  Zakat money (i.e., alms or charity) include paying to serve God's cause in showing true Quranic facts of Islam, the mission undertaken by Quranists in our website ahl-alquran.com, and other zakat types include giving donations to the poor and the impecunious. Zakat money might be paid by individuals who have money or by profit-seeking institutions, such as Waqfs (i.e., religious endowments), when rich people dedicate revenues of profit-seeking institutions to spend on mosques and to provide for the poor and the needy; this is charity and generosity par excellence. Sadly, some Waqfs are used to spend on harmful mosques that distort Islam and its message, call, teachings, etc. and spread falsehoods in its name as well as misinterpretations of the Quranic verses, and extremists preachers/imams in it call for massacres and bloodshed of the innocent. Sadly again, some owners of Waqfs are swindlers who desire to protect the source of their ill-gotten money by making themselves and their families guardians of such Waqfs protected by the State, but they spend such ill-gotten money on themselves and not in charity or on mosques. We refer you to one chapter in one of our books about Waqfs – look for it within our archive, because we have forgotten the title of this book.      

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

Please Rephrase your Question

Published in April 12, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … my brother died … leaving 4 grownup daughters …and his sister … I'm his brother from the side of the father only … Am I to have a share of inheritance? … Thank you …    

Answer:

  We do not have the pleasure of understanding you or your question; please rephrase your question to make it clear to us, with as many details as possible to help answer your inheritance question; you can make someone else write it for you.  

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

Kneeling in Congregational Prayers

Published in April 13, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … If I entered a mosque to catch up with congregational prayers, but I find the imam kneeling already, after I join the other people behind him, would the rest of the prayers be deemed complete though I came late after they began it? …  Thank you …   

Answer:

No, you must read the Quranic Chapter one with the imam, and since you came too late, it would have been better to pray alone