Fatwa | Nude-Body Security Scanners
Praise be to Allah, Lord of all that is created, and may His peace and blessings be upon Muhammad His final messenger. We have recently been witness to various governments’ approval for installing Full Body Security Scanners (also known as ‘Nude-body Scanners’) at a number of airports in and around the United States and Europe under the guise of protecting society from the threat of terrorism. This move is a clear demonstration of the depravation of morality, which is more than evident after considering the numerous reports that explain the functionality of these scanners. These reports have also been accompanied…
Comment: Discussing Terrorism and Jihad
All praise belongs to Allah and blessings and peace be upon the final prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). We have recently seen a number of articles and lectures by various speakers and scholars about jihad and terrorism, and although these brothers have sincere intentions (and we ask Allah to reward and guide them), I fear that this discourse is lacking the basic framework of an academic methodology, and as a result it can easily be misleading and cause more problems than it solves. The most fundamental principle to be considered prior to any discussion concerning any given topic is…
Hanafi Salafism: An Oxymoron?
The Islamic Schools of Jurisprudence (madhabs) were formed over a thousand years ago at a time when shari’ah (Islamic law) was practised and Islamic legal theory flourished. It was during this period that jurisprudence took shape as an Islamic science, flourishing as discussion and debate on controversial juristic issues became widespread. With scholars spread throughout the Islamic lands, individual jurists would attempt to deal with the array of new customs and problems found in their own respective regions. As is inevitable, certain scholars would come to prominence, their knowledge illuminating others as well as setting a yardstick for jurists to…
Discussing the ‘Symbol of Subjugation’
In a speech delivered on the 22nd of June the President of France said, “the burqa is not a religious sign’ — it’s a sign of subservience, a sign of debasement. It will not be welcome on the territory of the French republic.” Having already banned the Hijab in public schools, France seems eager to move even further with a complete ban on the niqab and as a result we feel it is necessary to provide some advice on the matter so that Muslims living in the West are not caught unaware and unable thereby to articulate an accurate Islamic…
A Fatwa concerning the Cordoba Gold Card
All praise and recognition is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds; and His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet, Muhammad, his family, and all his Companions. I have been recently approached by the Cordoba Financial Group in a request to comment on the (Islamic) legality of the Cordoba Gold CashPlus prepaid MasterCard. Proceeding a detailed investigation of the product as well as thorough discussions with Cordoba’s senior executives, I have concluded that the abovementioned scheme complies with the requirements of Shari‘ah and is therefore permissible for the use of purchasing goods and withdrawing cash. However, it must…
Urging the Muslims to perform Qunut for Muslims in Gaza
All praise is due to Allah, the One who hears that which is not heard by others, the one who provides relief from adversity and misfortune. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon the Prophet, his family and all of his Companions. It is clearly apparent to the entire world that the imprisoned and occupied people of Gaza are facing an extremely appalling situation where the Israeli state of terror has unleashed an arsenal one would perhaps feel more appropriate for a world superpower. Such tyranny has resulted in hundreds of casualties ranging from elderly people to those…
Who are We and are We Proud to be British?
A Dialogue with the Muslim Community on Music, Culture, Identity and Britishness. As we said in the beginning of this series of articles, the debate around music is not limited to the legality of using musical instruments as was the case in the past; it has became part of a broader discussion that includes culture and identity. Some argue that it is acceptable to make changes to Islamic principles or that Islam may take on new forms in order to adapt to European or other cultures. They also contend that many Islamic practices are cultural and have no basis in…
A Call for Muslims to Support the Integration of Parts of Shari’ah into the British Judicial System
The incredulous debate about Shari’ah and its implementation in Britain followed the release of a number of reports that have concluded that many Muslims would like to see Shari’ah implemented in the UK. I would like to draw the attention of all Muslims and non-Muslims to a few issues concerning this topic. From the onset it should be understood that Shari’ah in its general form is synonymous to Islam. Once this is understood, we can realise that there are many parts of Shari’ah i.e., Islam, that have already been implemented in the UK. Furthermore, in terms of recognition, it is…
Principles of Fiqh: Its Meanings & Benefits
The principles [usul] of Islamic Jurisprudence [fiqh] deals with the derivation of rulings [ahkam] relating to all matters of worship ['ibadah], dealings [mu'amalat] or any type of act conducted in this life from the Qur’an and the Sunnah of His Messenger, peace be upon him. In order to do this accurately, a scholar must strictly adhere to certain principles and regulations: a science termed Usul al-Fiqh (the principles of Islamic Jurisprudence). Generally, the study of Usul al-Fiqh incorporates the study of the following four main branches: i) Islamic sources (or evidences) on which all of the ahkam have been based.…
Music: Consensus & Ijtihad pt 2
In a previous article I highlighted that the existence of a difference of opinion is not itself an evidence for a position that one holds. I also pointed out that not every difference of opinion is well-founded and therefore legitimate. This subject matter is by its nature academic and I will explore more of its elementary points since it forms a focal point of our discussion. Such fundamental notions and methods that connect us to the Shari’ah and define our convictions and practice must be read and presented according to the understanding of the overwhelming majority of scholars. Lexically, ijtihad…