Fatwas: Part Forty-Seven

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

Quranist Research Forum

Published in July 15, 2017

Question: …  Dear Sir, … I'd like to join the Quranist Research Forum; can I just publish my researches or are there certain strategies that you follow in your website?  … Thank you …     

Answer:            

  This project of the Quranist Research Forum stopped now; it consisted on allowing new Quranists or novices to share their articles to be discussed by older members/writers within our website. But this project stopped because after initial enthusiasm, everyone disregarded it! As for you and any other novice, you must read the entire archive of our writings first, and if you have the researching abilities, you can register an account to write comments within our website, while adhering to conditions of writings as per our website policies. Later on, you might be promoted as a writer as per our observing your way of writing informative comments. Thank you,    

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A Question of Inheritance

Published in July 15, 2017

Question: …  Dear Sir, … A man died and left behind two wives, five daughters, and five brothers beside sons of one dead brother of his. How his money must be distributed as per shares stipulated in the Quran? … Thank you  …  

Answer:

 Each of the two wives is to receive half of the 1/8 of the total sum. The five daughters are to receive 2/3 of the total sum, divided among them in equal shares. The rest of the sum is to be distributed equally among the brothers. If he has sisters, a sister would receive half the share of the brother. The sons of the dead brother have no right to inherit any shares. In other terms: the total sum of inheritance money is to be divided into 24 equal shares: the two wives receive 3 shares, the five daughters 16 shares distributed equally among them, and 5 shares distributed among the brothers.  

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About "Quranic Moments"

Published in July 16, 2017

Question: …  Dear Sir, … I like very much your YouTube show "Quranic Moments", but why are you repeating in it ideas mentioned in previous books and articles of yours? Why do not you tackle new topics instead? … Thank you …

Answer:

 Thank you, our son. We assert here to you that this show primarily aims at reaching those who cannot log into our website, as it is unreachable in some Gulf countries whose governments blocked it. Besides, millions of people have not yet heard about our Quranism website; we aim to reach them via YouTube. More people still prefer to watch videos than to read our archive. We aim to produce more than 1000 episodes that will summarize most of the contents of our website, along with new topics about which we have not written yet. your duty, our dear son, is to spread links of these videos within cyberspace to raise awareness of people. https://www.youtube.com/user/ahlalquran1/videos

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Mercenary Clergymen

Published in July 16, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … I feel so depressed; in a piece of news on the internet, I read that the UK granted the Wahabi Egyptian preacher Amr Khaled millions of Pounds Sterling as a donation. Why there is no one who would donate to you and your IQC instead, though Quranism can certainly serve the West to combat terrorism by refuting Wahabism?  … You are the only thinker who can intellectually undermine and debunk terrorist ideology using the Quran itself, and your books and articles are being translated into English; why would not the West countries employ you and enlist your help within the war on terror? May be the West did not hear enough about you, or you could not reach them or market your school of thought among them! Sorry, forgive me, but I am so depressed as I see True Islam (i.e., Quranism) never reaching millions of people … Thank you …     

Answer:

 Please, our dear son, do not be depressed at all. Any ruling authority in any given country prefers to deal with those who sell their souls and their pens in return for money so that they can be commanded and ordered to do anything for this or that authority. This is the difference between mercenary clergymen who trade with religious mottoes and a real Muslim free thinker like us who seek reform (and seek no rewards from anyone) to save lives of millions of people. Eventually, with the passage of time, the Truth will prevail and what is beneficial to people will remain and anything deceitful will be made to vanish.

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Researching History

Published in July 17, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … I really admire your books and articles where your strength as a researcher in history is revealed; they are so enjoyable and they made me think of specializing in history when I join university next year… But I'd like to ask you about your methodology of research; how would you know that a historical account is true or false? Is historical research so pains-taking and time-consuming? … Thank you …        

Answer:

 You have to love history very much to be able to bear patiently with the endeavor of researching and studying it. this research is an arduous task; please read our book on principles of historical research published here on our website. The prevalent problem now is that many ignoramuses claim they are researcher in history; the same problem exists in many fields of humanities: philosophy, heritage, history, etc. Of course, within the methodology of each field, one has to define terminologies of the topic of research, while adhering to objectivity as much as you can without prior views or prejudices. Prepare yourself to be a good researcher by extensive readings in the branch/era of history in which you would like to specialize.   

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Those Who Believe!

Published in July 17, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … When God addresses believers in many Quranic verses, how would readers know that this address is for believers in terms of faith or in terms of peaceful behavior, or for both levels of belief? … Thank you …    

Answer:

  We will write an article about this later on. We briefly assert to you here that the context of the verse determines the level of meaning regarding what you ask; for instance, there are verses addressed to believers in terms of peaceful demeanor and security, but they are still polytheists, in terms of faith, who deify mortals and items: "O you who believe! Believe in God and His messenger, and the Book He sent down to His messenger, and the Book He sent down before. Whoever rejects God, His angels, His Books, His messengers, and the Last Day, has strayed far in error." (4:136); "O you who believe! wine, gambling, idolatry, and mausoleums are abominations of Satan's doing. Avoid them, so that you may prosper." (5:90). In the following verse, the address is directed to believers who practice usury: "O you who believe! Fear God, and forgo what remains of usury, if you are believers." (2:278); these verses address sinners who refuse to repent: "O you who believe! Protect yourselves and your families from a Fire, whose fuel is people and stones. Over it are angels, fierce and powerful. They never disobey God in anything He commands them, and they carry out whatever they are commanded... O you who believe! Repent to God with sincere repentance. Perhaps your Lord will remit your sins, and admit you into gardens beneath which rivers flow, on the Day when God will not disappoint the Prophet and those who believed with him..." (66:6-8). These verses address all believers in terms of faith and peaceful behavior: "O you who believe! Retaliation for the murdered is ordained upon you..." (2:178); "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become righteous." (2:183).  

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Arab History in Period Drama

Published in July 18, 2017

Question:  … Dear Sir, … I am a new Quranist … I do not understand much in politics and I understand less in the field of history, but I think that the number of your readers are fewer than what your readership should be in the Arab world … The only way to reach wider Arab audience is to turn history into TV series and movies …  What do you think? … Thank you …         

Answer:

  We have our own project to turn history into period drama and movies, and we are promoting this project for 25 in Egypt and in the USA. We have actually authored tens of scenarios, scripts, and screenplays; mostly are finished works and some still need the final touches. All our articles can be turned easily into TV series based on our style of writing. We refer you to our article (in English) titled "The Azharite Sheikh as a Scriptwriter!" on this link: (http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=15999). You are absolutely right; dramatizing and turning history into movies is an excellent weapon in the peaceful intellectual war of ideas. May God help all of us in such endeavor.  

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Scheming of Women

Published in July 18, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … Arab people have a proverb that goes as follows: the scheming of women is dangerous, and the Quran says that the scheming of Satan is weak … What do you think? Is the proverb I quote here part of Islam as people assert now?! …Thank you …   

Answer:

 God describes in these verses that the evil scheming of Satan is weak and so is that of Satan's followers the disbelievers: "Those who believe fight in the cause of God, while those who disbelieve fight in the cause of Evil. So fight the allies of the Devil. Surely the scheming of the Devil is weak." (4:76); "...God will undermine the scheming of the disbelievers." (8:18). As for the proverb you quote, it has nothing to do with the Quranic faith at all; Quranic stories are NEVER part of the Islamic legislations; we mean to say that in the Quranic story of Joseph the scheming of women is described by a man in the story; this is NOT God's view nor part of eternal truths: "And when he saw that his shirt was torn from the back, he said, "This is a woman's scheme. Your scheming is serious indeed"" (12:28). This view of this man is not necessarily true, and likewise, when God mentions words of the self-deified Moses' Pharaoh, this is not part of faith or sharia in Islam, but part of history and Quranic stories; e.g., when Pharaoh said: "..."I am your Lord, the most high."" (79:24). 

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Searching within Our Website

Published in July 20, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … The Google search engine on your website is no longer working, again! Could it be fixed so that Quranists and novices can search all topics within your great website? …Thank you …   

Answer:

 Unfortunately, Google has ended its services within our website; we use a free search engine now as we can no longer afford to pay $100 on a monthly basis to Google. We are very poor and impecunious; we are struggling to keep and maintain our website and YouTube channel within our modest means. May God help all of us. Thank you.  

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Women's Issues

Published in July 20, 2017

Question: …  Dear Sir, … We thank you for making all of us learn a great deal from your subtitled videos "Quranic Moments", but I'd like you to tackle issues related to women, who are real victims of Salafism and Wahabism, as you know very well; namely, I'd like that you step down from your ivory tower of cultural issues of history to tackle the plight of women in relation to politics, economy, etc. linked to Quranism of course  … Thank you …      

Answer:

 Thank you, our daughter, and we are planning in the coming episodes to tackle women's status in real Islam (i.e., Quranism). You can watch our previous episodes on women and their dress code(s) in our 2011-2012 subtitled episodes of our previous show titled "Exposing Salafism ". 

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About Quranic Moments, Again!

Published in July 19, 2017

Question: …  Dear Sir, … Your new show "Quranic Moments" is so enjoyable indeed! May God grant you longer life and greater influence on Arab youths; indeed, you are coping with our modern-age lack of time and patience; those videos are better than long articles rarely read by lazy, slow readers among Arab youths; even comments under the videos are more than the ones under longer episodes of your previous show of "Exposing Salafism" and more than 2016 Quranist sermons. May God reward you in Paradise! We wait eagerly for your daily video episodes! I wish you tackle some topics related to modern life, not just history, though your speeches are informative and admirable indeed, of course! … Thank you …         

Answer:

 Thank you very much, our dear son; we hope you have time to spread links of our subtitled videos within cyberspace. May God reward you.

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About Light Again!

Published in July 19, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … Thank you, Dr. Mansour, for writing your informative article about the Quranic term "Light" in response to my previous questions sent to you; indeed, you are a treasure for true Quranist Muslims! May God grant you longer life and better health so that we benefit still from your great ponderings on the Quranic text …Thank you again and God bless you …

Answer:

  It is we that thank you a lot for drawing our attention to that great topic to write an article on it; we owe you a lot and to all our dear fellow Quranists whose queries drive our brains to think and ponder the more and discover more Quranic facts which we did not know previously. We wait for your own articles to enrich our website; you are a free thinker and an excellent writer in Arabic; please do not deprive our website from your thoughts that should be shared with Quranist readers of our website. Thank you. 

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Differences of Quranists

Published in June 10, 2012

Question: … Dear Sir, … I cannot help but notice that most Quranists quarrel over some issues and debate heatedly over them; this is most unbecoming; besides, some Quranist writers come out with strange ideas in their articles … Why do not you, Sir, reform and guide these young researchers first?! … Thank you …     

Answer:

 Thank you for your advice, dear son. We remind you that our Quranism website aims primarily at reforming all Muslims using the Quran. it is vital that Quranists reform themselves first, and this must occur by trial and error in their writings and their accepting the Quranic Truth to reform their own thoughts and notions pertaining to religion. Otherwise, these verses may apply to them: "Do you command people to virtuous conduct, and forget yourselves, even though you read the Scripture? Do you not understand?" (2:44); "O you who believe! Why do you say what you do not do? It is most hateful to God that you say what you do not do." (61:2-3). We ourselves are open to all criticisms, pieces of advice, corrections, and reform; winners in this life and in the next world are those who die after reforming themselves and recommending their souls to our Lord by the best good deeds in terms of quality and quantity and the best faith in relation to monotheism, achieved only through the Quranic Truth that purifies the souls of true believers. Besides, the call for reforming ourselves and others using the Quran faces many obstacles: the cyberspace is open for all people, and some enlightened minds join our website, and so do some impetuous youths who are bent on debating heatedly and never accept to change their ideas, while defending their (sometimes wrong) stances and understanding. Some imposters pretend to be Quranists (but they are Wahabis) and enter into our website bent on destroying it by distracting all writers by heated arguments over trivial matters and by insulting one another; those ones are expelled from our website once discovered. Moreover, even Quranist writers with good intentions vary within their cultural backgrounds, linguistic abilities, knowledge levels, methodologies, ideologies, and stances; such diversity is enriching our website and adds to the value of freedom of expression and thought. We should remember that all of us learn from one another; yet, some persons are too proud to accept criticism and pieces of advice, and some desire to be flattered, praised, and thanked all the time for their trivial writings that add nothing to our website. We have suffered a lot previously from such persons who create troubles that distract readers and writers. We are still firm in our policy to expel from our website those who never apply conditions of publishing articles on our website and those who are insulting others. May God help all of us in our intellectual endeavors.      

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Marrying An Atheist Woman

Published in October 7, 2006

Question: …  Dear Sir, … I am a man in my thirties … As per Quranism and as per your own views on marriage, am I allowed to marry an atheist woman who refuses to believe in God's existence? … Thank you …   

Answer:

 Yes, you can. Spouse's beliefs (or even lack of any) are never part of marriage conditions as per the Quran. the marriage conditions include that spouses feel mutual love, mercy, and respect. A good wife is the one that is faithful to you and keen on retaining her family, her household, her husband, and her children. Any wife should obey her husband within what is legal and lawful in Islam. Your future wife's religion (or lack of it) is something personal and of her own choice; this has nothing to do with marriage and its validity. What is important is that difference in religious stances should never be a source of trouble and quarrels between spouses; each must respect choices of the other. Otherwise, divorce is the ideal solution. But in cases of ordinary, every-day troubles within conjugal life, it is OK to talk and settle all disputes using wisdom. You must respect your future wife's religious freedom. Besides, preferably, both you and your bride must agree on which religion upon which your children would be raised, and it is better to leave them to choose in their adulthood. If you marry an atheist pride, you must fear God by treating her kindly and in a loving, respectable way; do not be prejudiced against her because of her atheism. "...And live with them in kindness. If you dislike them, it may be that you dislike something in which God has placed much good." (4:19). Be an example for her about what a fair, just, and democratic Muslim husband looks like.      

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We All Hope So

Published in July 21, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … Why do not the USA and EU governments make use of your writings (in English) and your videos (subtitled into English) in the combat against Wahabi terrorism? … Why Quranism  is rarely known there?! … Thank you …      

Answer:

 We all hope so; our intellectual, peaceful jihad is through the written word on our website and our YouTube videos, offered for free all seekers of reform. We seize this opportunity to thank the Egyptian Quranist Mr. Ahmed Fathy the translator who voluntarily translates our videos and writings into English. 

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May God Bless You

Published in July 21, 2017

Question: … Dear Sir, … I'm a new convert to Quranism, and I'd like to share this point with you: how come that the limited human mind would perceive and imagine God in His Limitless Glory? To ponder upon divinity is to reach nothing definite at all; you have mentioned in one article of yours that mortals cannot see God in this world and in the next in the Hereafter; we realize that God exists because the universe (and all its known items in it) can never exist on its own without a Creator. You have taught us that God uses figurative language (and metaphors from things in this life on Earth) in the Quran to make us understand Him, but we cannot apply laws of nature on our Lord God, right?! Am I right in this perception? Have I understood this right from your writings? … Thank you  …  

Answer:

 May God bless you; glorified be our Lord Allah; there is nothing like Him; He is the Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent Lord Who sees all mortals and never seen by them.   

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Proclaim Or Not?!

Published in April 18, 2014

Question: …  Dear Sir, … God has said to Prophet Muhammad: "So proclaim openly what you are commanded, and turn away from the polytheists." (15:94); I'd like to follow the footsteps of Prophet Muhammad and remind people with Quranic verses and facts of Quranism you've taught to me; but people around me began to hate me for it. They adhere to cursed hadiths instead and refuse to believe me when I explain God's Word to them that  contradicts so-called hadiths! I feel if I stifle the Truth inside my head, I will be cursed for not raising the awareness of those around me regarding God's True Religion (i.e., Quranism), as I seek to guide others; yet, people began to shun, despise, and spurn me for smashing their idols! … Shall I go on and bear patiently with them or shall I stop?! What do you think? … Thank you …

Answer:

  We implore our Almighty Lord God to gather all guided monotheists like ourselves and you, our dear son, in His Paradise in the Hereafter. Please, do not waste your precious time in debating with those who are unwilling to hear you. You are to preach Quranism only to those willing to hear and learn among seekers of the Truth. God says in the Quran, addressing Muhammad: "So remind, if reminding helps." (87:9); this means that a Quranist preacher like you should talk only to those who seem to seek guidance. Guidance seekers seek Paradise; they are the ones who deserve Quranic pearls and gems; do not cast pearls to swines. Hence, please do not waste your time with Quran haters who dislike God and favor earthly life of transient to Eternal Life in the Hereafter. You can focus your peaceful intellectual Quranist jihad on copying and pasting links of our website and videos within cyberspace; this way, guidance seekers will be helped very much by you. Your precious time must be spent on performing as many good deeds as possible to be among winners in Paradise. Please remember that God does not burden a soul beyond its capacity. May God bless and reward you.    

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Rewards of the Injured during Jihad

Published in January 22, 2012

Question: …  Dear Sir, … Let's suppose that within a self-defense battle for God's sake, some men were seriously injured, would they be rewarded by God? … Thank you …     

Answer:

 Of course, they are rewarded by our Lord God. we read in the Quran: "It is not for the inhabitants of Medina and the Desert-Arabs around them to stay behind the Messenger of God, nor to prefer themselves to him. That is because they never suffer any thirst, nor fatigue, nor hunger in the cause of God, nor do they take one step that enrages the disbelievers, nor do they gain anything from an enemy, but it is recorded to their credit as a righteous deed. God does not waste the reward of the righteous. Nor do they spend any expenditure, small or large, nor do they cross any valley, but it is recorded to their credit. That God may reward them in accordance with the best of their deeds." (9:120-121). This means that all endeavors (big or small) of that nature in self-defense jihad fighting is rewarded by God; consequently, the injured people are rewarded as well. Moreover, the injured ones are in the second position after the killed ones for God's sake in the battle mentioned in the verses 3:169-175. Thank you for your good question. 

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Stretching their Necks

Published in June 13, 2014

Question: … Dear Sir, … What does the expression "stretching their necks" mean in the verse 70:36? …Thank you …    

Answer:

 God says in the Quran: "What is with those who disbelieve, stretching their necks towards you. From the right, and from the left, banding together?" (70:36-37). This refers to arrogant disbelievers who showed their aloofness and arrogance to Muhammad as they rejected the Quran; their stance of haughtiness and vanity is mentioned elsewhere as well in the same way, as they take pride in their falsehoods that led them to discard the Quran: "And among the people is he who argues about God without knowledge, or guidance, or an enlightening scripture. Turning aside their necks in contempt, to lead away from the path of God. He will have humiliation in this world, and on the Day of Resurrection We will make him taste the agony of burning." (22:8-9). Such was the way of disbelievers and hypocrites of that era in the 7^th century Arabia and in all eras and even now, when Quranists would request from polytheistic Muhammadans to use the Quran as the only criterion in religion: "And when it is said to them, "Come, the Messenger of God will ask forgiveness for you," they bend their heads, and you see them turning away arrogantly." (63:5). They will feel humiliated in the Hereafter on the Last Day if they die without repentance, and their necks will bend and stretch again in humiliation: "Their necks outstretched, their heads upraised, their gaze unblinking, their hearts void. " (14:43); "Stretching their necks towards the Caller, the disbelievers will say, "This is a difficult Day."" (54:8). Thus, hypocrites used to ridicule the believers and laugh; the exact opposite will occur on the Last Day in the Hereafter: "Let them laugh a little, and weep much; in recompense for what they used to earn." (9:82); see also 83:29-36. Once they enter into Hell, God will rebuke them severely for rejecting the Quran; see 23:105-111.        

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Shall I Confess to my Husband?!

Published in February 21, 2010

Question: … Dear Sir, … I got married to a wealthy man whom I do not love and was not convinced to accept him at all; I used to love a male colleague at the university, but upon graduation, he was penniless and could not propose to me, and he deserted me as a result, leaving me to marry my husband … During the honeymoon, my heart kept thinking of the man I loved, and I could not bring myself to love my husband, though he is handsome, generous, kind, etc. … Months later, I was pregnant, and I came across the man I love, and sadly, we made out and then one thing led to the other, and we committed fornication at his place! My pangs of conscience is killing me and I implore God daily for forgiveness! This lover desired to go on meeting secretly and that I cuckold my husband, but I adamantly refused and told him to keep out of my life forever! … How I despise him now and I despise myself! I am now in the ninth month of my pregnancy and I am about to give birth to a boy; my sentiments grew toward my husband now; I began to compare how generous, kind-hearted, and good-natured he is, whereas the man I used to love is mean, immoral, and selfish! … I thank God that I was pregnant before I committed this sin, but I love my husband now so very dearly, and I weep every night as I pray and ask God for forgiveness, but as I grow more religious now, I wonder if it is the 'right' thing to confess my sin to my husband whom I have fooled and cuckolded one day! Would he forgive my cheating on him within a one-night stand?! Is it part of repentance to confess to my husband who is unaware that I have wronged him?! the mean, base young man with whom I committed sin has immigrated to Europe now, and I felt relieved so that he would not threaten me anymore to expose and scandalize me if I refuse to give him money or allowing him to have sex with me! Of course, I refused to contact him anyway, and I never gave him money nor succumbed to his desire to fornicate with me ever again … Yet, I feel bound to tell my husband, or is that never necessary?! I am doing anything to please him and ensure his happiness at home, and he begins to love me as much as I do him now, and I even serve him with love and affection, and bear patiently when he sometimes yells at me, for I know he is a kind, good sort of man … Is this enough to atone for my sin? Is it necessary to confess to him to make him choose between divorcing me or keeping me as his legal wife?! I cannot stand being divorced with a child! I do not have the physical or psychological ability to be a single mother, and I love my husband now so much and I cannot live without him! please tell me what to do? I feel extremely worried! I want to please God but what shall I do more?! Any advice? … Thank you …   

Answer:

  If fornicators repent and declared their repentance, no penalty (i.e., flogging) is required, and the sincerity of this repentance is judged only by God. Your repentance require to reform your deeds and faith, with the sincere intention to atone for the sin and attain piety once more. It is an excellent choice to become a Quranist monotheist. You should atone for your sin by performing good deeds as much as you may afford. You must attain piety by lots of acts of worship, while intending never to fall into this sin ever again. God will be the Only Judge regarding your sincerity, no mortal would. Your behavior (with all people, not only your husband) must be changed for the better as a result of piety observed in the acts of worship. You do NOT have to tell you husband about your sin; be keen on pleasing and gratifying God sincerely and devotedly, while intending to lead a pure life from now on. Make sure you keep all means of happiness in your household and your family. May God bless you and forgive you.