Insight_July-Aug '23

THE PATIENCE OF AL-NUR

REFLECTIONS ON MY SHAYKH DR. ISMAIL MEMON

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Pearls of wisdom Our Elders

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The Patience of al-Nur by M. Dr. Mateen Khan

Reflections on my Shaykh, Dr. Ismail Memon [part 2] Asim Ahmad

14 Learn Arabic; derivations of hallun in the Quran and Sunna

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Ashura: Hadith on the 10th of Muharram

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Fatawa: Reciting Sura Yasin in a graveyard M. Husain Ahmad Badri

Insight Magazine

Patron Hazrat Dr. Ismail Memon

Fatawa

Mufti Husain Ahmad Badri

Contributors

Mufti Omar Baig

Maulana Dr. Mateen Khan

Dr. Kamran Karatela

M. Zubair Ahmad

M. Bakhtiyar Ahmad

M. Ahmad Amin

Abu Saalem

Editor Asim Ahmad

Photo

4.0 International license; author King Eliot p. 12-13

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Address 51 Prince St. N, Chatham, ON N7M 4J7, Canada

The views expressed in the columns of Insight magazine do not necessarily represent those of Darul Uloom Canada.articles published in this magazine may be reproduced with due acknowledgment.

The facade of the 13 th century Gok medrese [also known as the Sahibiye medrese) in Sivas, Turkey..

Before the Hour, there will be years of deceit; the truthful will be considered a liar and the liar truthful (Ahmad).

Nuqush Raftaghan is a must-read book written by respected Mufti Taqi Uthmani. Unlike most of his other writings, this book is a personal account of his meetings with the many eminent scholars, high-profile politicans, and the most influential people of his time. After reading through the book, I was astounded at how Mufti sahib maintained his deen and humbleness while rubbing shoulders with the most influential people of his time. To this day, he continues to spread the spiritual inheritance of the pious predecessors and is strict in his adherence to the tradition of the Akabir of Deoband.

One section of his book is dedicated to the late President of Pakistan General Zia alHaqq (1924-88) who too set the example of a man who never fell to the intoxication of power. If anything, it had an inverted effect. He came closer to Allah and the Auliya of Allah. In Pearls of wisdom, Mufti sahib shares his observations and thoughts on the late president. The lesson taken is that we cannot judge and criticize anyone, even public figures from the past and present, just because of their prominence in the public sphere.

In the second part of the series on Reflections on my Shaykh, I reveal two important periods of my life in which my shaykh pulled me out of the darkness into the light by the taufiq and blessings of the Lord, Most High. This series speaks of the need for a shaykh in our times more than ever before.

Do not Judge!

Never misses tahajjud

On his recollections on the late General Zia al-Haqq, Mufti Taqi Uthmani writes:

I could tell from the late General’s disposition that he prays tahajjud, but couldn’t ascertain for sure whether he did or not. One day, one of his aides said to me, “I have been with him for many years since his time in the military. He almost never misses his tahajjud.” Then I learned from other aides who were even closer to him and had accompanied him on his state trips abroad that he prayed tahajjud on his travels abroad as well.

He also had a routine for reciting Quran and even carried one with him on his last [ill-fated] trip though it was very short. A copy of my blessed father’s Ma‘arif ul Quran was clearly displayed in his drawing room. One day he said to me pointing toward Ma’arif ul Quran, “This book is a huge treasure, and whenever I need to understand an ayah of the Quran, I take benefit from it.” He also had the habit of studying other books of deen to the last moments of his life. A copy of the Quran was retrieved from his briefcase and two books, Hazrat Thanwi’s Islahu al-Muslimeen and another title on Tasawwuf.

General Zia al-Haqq leads salat in Haram

Salahuddin, the editor in chief of the weekly Takbeer, once wrote that he was with the late General on one of his trips to Haramayn. They came to the Haram for ‘Isha and when he stood up to join the congregation for salat, the imam of Haram, Shaykh Abdullah bin Sabbeel said to the General, “As the leader of the Muslims, only you can lead the congregation in salat,” and saying this, urged him forward. The General led the salat under the Ka‘ba and broke down sobbing in salat. Later, Salahuddin asked him about his state in salat. The General said, “I am a very sinful man. I am not even worthy of entering the Haram let alone leading the people in salat.”

Hazrat Thanawi’s khalifa must officiate nikah

During his presidency, when his first daughter was to be married, the late General Zia al-Haqq sent a message to Dr. Abdul Hayy Arifi (khalifa of Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali

Thanawi) via Maulana Zafar Ahmad Ansari, “My nikah was officiated by Hazrat Mufti Hasan Amritsari (eminent khalifa of Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanawi and founder of Jamia Ashrafiyya [Lahore]). My brother’s nikah was officiated by Mufti Shafi, and now it is my desire that my daughter’s nikah too be officiated by one of the khalifa of Hazrat Ashraf Ali Thanawi. Therefore, if there is no hindrance, then I ask Hazrat to accept my request to officiate my daughter’s nikah.” Hazrat replied, “After so many references (to other eminent khalifa), how can I refuse?” On this trip, my respected brother Hazrat Mufti Rafi Uthmani and I also accompanied Hazrat.

His love for the elders

On his visits to Pakistan, my shaykh Hazrat Maulana Maseeh Ullah Khan (khalifa of Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanawi) would stay mostly in Lahore. The late General would take out time from his busy schedule to visit him and take blessings and du‘a from him. Likewise, he revered Haji Muhammad Sharif of Multan (khalifa of Hazrat Thanawi) and maintained the same respectful relationship with him. In essence, he was passionate about the elders and had a special reverence for them.

Visiting the Haram

He tried his best to visit Haram frequently and this was aside from his annual commitment to spending the 27th of Ramadan in the Haram. After arriving in the Haram, he dedicated his whole nights in the Haram and those who chanced to see him on those occasions say that he would be in an altogether different state at the time. Once he said, “People object to why I make so many trips to Saudi Arabia and think I come seeking financial aid, but the reality is that I am a sinful man. I go there again and again to recharge my faith.” c

- Hazrat Mufti Taqi Uthmani’s recollections of the late General Zia al-Haqq taken from Nuqush Raftaghan

THE OF

The trek from the cave of Hira atop Mount al-Nur snaked down the mountainside, through the valleys, and into Makkah. Our beloved Muhammad s began to frequent the cave and stay longer each time. There, he could contemplate and connect with His Creator. When he would leave, his footsteps temporarily imprinted themselves in the path’s shifting sands. The grains took their turns kissing his feet. The few bushes reached out to him. The rocks conveyed their salām. Having now reached the fortieth year of his life, the Prophet s , already known for his notable character and miraculous events, felt a guided shifting internally.

PATIENCE

sion. He created Sayyiduna Adam and gifted him with two unique traits, knowledge and choice, which composed humanity’s foundation. Sound belief and sincere obedience formed its structure. His progeny, however, introduced changes over time which weakened it. They added, changed, or removed divine commands. They grew further away from Him, whereas He always wished for them to choose closeness. He sent prophets and messengers to right the wrongs they had introduced out of His mercy; engineers to correct the flaws of the building of humanity. After Sayyiduna `Isa, the structure grew increasingly unstable as people adopted polytheism and took to extremism in belief and practice. Until one day, the structure collapsed on itself, burying humanity

The greatness of human ity is not measured by dominance over the natural world or its understanding it. Instead, it is measured its closeness to the Creator and the ability to act cordance to His commands. Humanity had buried its own making. Thus, blocked the light of divine connection and the fresh air of original purpose. mentioned previously, never in the Creator’s leave humanity in darkness. The match had been it was time to light the

Preparing the Prophet sﷺ

He s is the most beloved creation of Allah, the Exalted. We have already seen how his life was full unique events. Now, Allah imbued a sense of unrest within the . For his throughout his life, protected himself – with the of divine direction

humanby its natural understanding of measured by Creator in accommands. buried itself in Thus, they divine fresh purpose. As previously, it was Creator’s plan to darkness. lit, and the lamp.

Prophet most of Exalted. seen full of Now, sense the his part, life, the protected help direction -

selves from Allah, they detach themselves from morality. As he s remained connected to Allah alone, he stayed on a path of virtue. Thus, he never lied, cheated, drank alcohol, ate meat slaughtered on a name besides Allah’s, or any other action displeasing to his Lord.

However, there was that one time his humanity got the better of him. As a young shepherd, he resolved one night to attend a wed -

ding wherein music and jāhilī merrymaking were taking place. No sooner had he arrived but sleep overtook him, and his ears muted the music. He awoke later the next day well after the event’s conclusion. The next night, he attempted the same, and his plans were similarly thwarted. Henceforth, he remained resolved to refrain from pre-Islamic rituals. Allah, the Exalted, protected him as He had protected His chosen Prophets before. After some time, he began to see pleasant and vivid dreams as if lit by the morning light. The visions would correspond with reality, i.e., they were true. He was given a taste of revelation’s embrace; a purification of the heart and soul and a preparation for what was to come.

The Household

The Prophet s would return from al-Nūr to his wife and household. His marriage to Sayyidah

Khadījah blossomed into an impressive extended family. The mutual loyalty between him and his devoted foster mother Barakah continued as well. He s introduced Barakah to his wife as “the rest of his family.”

Whereas she looked after him from birth throughout his difficult childhood, as an adult, the Prophet s began to look after her. He arranged her marriage to a man named Ubayd, and she left the Prophet’s side for a time. She and Ubayd had a child named Ayman by which she gained the title of Umm Ayman, the mother of Ayman. As Allah’s plan for her would have it, Ubayd died soon after. She, then, returned to the Prophet’s grateful company and welcoming home.

Years before this, the tribe of an Arab child named Zayd ibn Hārithah had been raided. Ripped from his parents, he was alone as an enslaved youth being transferred from home to home. His father mourned and recited poetry in his name, not know -

ing where he was taken. Like the Prophet Yaqūb, he never gave up hope in finding him. Sayyiduna Zayd, like the Prophet Yūsuf, must have dearly missed the warmth of his home and father. Soon after the Prophet’s marriage, Allah, the Exalted, brought Zayd into their home. Although he entered as a slave, this family kept him as family. Around this time, the tears of Zayd’s father began to dry as he heard of the whereabouts of his son. He rushed to Makkah and located Zayd’s master by the Ka`bah. “Free my son for money is no object.” However, the man he spoke to spoke in the language of affection and not of affluence. If Zayd wanted his freedom and family, it was his to ask, and he could return with his father. However, if he chose to stay, the Prophet s said, “By Allah, I am not one to

His marriage to Sayyidah Khadijah blossomed into an impressive extended family. The mutual loyalty between him and his devoted foster mother Barakah continued as well.

abandon anyone who chooses me.” The father ran to his son and presented to him his freedom. Zayd replied, “I am not one to choose him over anyone else, ever.” One might imagine the father’s hurt for now he stood to lose his son for the second time. Amazingly, this was not the case for, one must conclude, he too understood Zayd’s adoration of the Prophet s . Instead of hurt and anger, he was pleased with his son’s decision and returned home content with Muhammad s as his guard. What an excellent example for every parent whose child chooses a path of prophetic learning?! Leave your child contently in their devotion to his s deen and Sharī`ah. There is no better company! For his part, the Prophet s , being one of utmost loyalty, reciprocated Zayd’s choice, freed him, and adopted him as his own son. He would affectionately say to him, “O Zayd, you are my companion. You are part of me and I am part of you. You are the most beloved of people to me.”

The Prophet s loved Zayd and he loved Barakah.

He would fuse these two halves of his heart together in marriage to one another. The union would result in a child, Usāmah ibn Zayd. However, the words to describe the Prophet’s love for him escape me for now.

A similar thing occurred with Abū Tālib. He was a devoted sponsor and father-figure to his nephew s as he guided him into adulthood. He was there when no one else was. Likewise, the Prophet s reciprocated with great loyalty and concern at a time when financial hardship befell the Quraysh. The responsibility of taking care of many children weighed on Abū Tālib’s finances and caused him great difficulty. To lessen the burden, the Prophet s took in one of his sons, Sayyiduna Ali ibn Abī Tālib. With this, Alī also became a member of the household, and the Prophet s treated him as a son. Later, he would become the sonin-law of the Prophet s . He would be among the first to accept the Prophet’s message and among the first to pray in the name of Islam. One day, his father Abū Tālib,

still unaware of the new religion, caught him praying in secret and confronted him about this practice. The young Alī replied, “O my father, I have believed in Allah (alone) and His Messenger. I have affirmed what he has brought. I have prayed with him for the sake of Allah alone and have followed him.” In this instance, his love for his nephew overcame his devotion to his forefathers. He replied to his son, “In that case, he only calls you toward good. Remain dedicated to him.” He would say about the Prophet s :

Did you not know our son is not denied

By us, and he does not speak any falsehoods.

The flawless by which the clouds are asked for rain; The refuge of orphans and the guardian of widows.

Sayyiduna ‘Ali’s inclination towards the deen and devotion to the Prophet s were not coincidental. Rather, it stemmed from the pure nourishing soil of Muhammad s and Khadījah’s house. He was also not the only child to benefit from

its nutrients. The couple had four daughters: Zaynab, Umm Kulthūm, Ruqayyah, and Fātimah. Each one inherited the nobility of their parents. They were the apple of their father’s eye, the coolness of his heart, and the smile on his blessed face.

For countless millennia, Mount al-Nūr watched over the valley as a guard waiting patiently for their ward. It witnessed Makkah’s transition from empty desert to the home of the Kabah; its transformation from the visiting-place of Ibrāhīm to the birth of Muhammad s . It watched the child grow, suffer loss, and accumulate people’s endearment. Now, the stage had finally been set. Its cast, from people to angels, were all in position. The sun, moon, and heavens gazed enviously on the little Earth for what was to come. The Prophet s had dreams sparking a light that lead him to isolation and reflection. Time in Hirā’ freed his mind from the dunya and focused it on the divine. Finally, the mountain’s perseverance paid off as the Prophet s climbed its side one more time. c

ahilla (imperative)

Allóhumma ahillahñ ‘alaynó bi al-amni wa al-õmóni wa al-salómati wa al-Islami rabbõ wa rabbukalló

Oh Allah, make the new moon come upon us with peace, faith, soundness, and Islam. My Lord and your Lord is the same (Tirmidhi).

ahilla (pl. of hilal) new moon)

yas’alñnaka ‘an al-ahilla

They ask you about the new moons. Say they are indicative of time for the people [2:189].

hallala (to say la ilaha illallah)

wa man hallallóhu mi’ata bi al-ghadóti wa mi’ata bi al-‘ashiyyati kóna kaman a‘taqa mi’ata raqbata min

waladi Ismó‘õla

Whoever says la ilaha illallah morning and night a hundred times, it is as if he has freed a hundred slaves from the progeny of Ismael e (Tirmidhi)

ahalla (to wear ihram)

kharajnó ma‘a Rasñlullóh s ‘óma úajjat al-wad‘ó fa minna man ahalla...

We came out with the Prophet s the year of the farewell hajj. Among us were those who wore ihram for umra, some for hajj and umra, and others for hajj only (Bukhari).

uhilla (invoking)

úurrimat ‘alaykum al-maytatu wa al-damu wa laúm al-khinzõir wa mó uhilla li ghayrillóhi

Prohibited for you are: carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, and those upon which (a name) other that of Allah has been invoked [5:3].

Many words in the Arabic language derive from the root word hallun, which means ‘to appear,’ ‘to rise’ or to ‘raise the voice.’ This meaning carries into the various forms in which the root word appears in the Quran and Sunna. The word hilal (new moon) also derives from hallun since the Arabs would raise their voices [announce] the sighting of the new moon. You will find these root meanings in all the examples cited.

REFLECTIONS

ON MY SHAYKH

DR. ISMAIL MEMON

by Asim Ahmad

part 2

Ihave many recollections of my shaykh but was always reluctant to write on a relationship which revealed so much of my personal life. To talk about him meant disclosing details of my own shortcomings, personal issues, and problems which I had brought to his attention or which he pointed out to me to help me grow in my deen.

Though after considering the benefits that can accrue from such a discourse, which is to highlight the prophetic mission of achieving tazkiya and to increase love for our shuyukh in a time when our Muslim community is estranged from the very idea of reverence, I feel encouraged, even obliged to play my part in doing what is necessary to help connect

our Muslims to the Auliya of Allah.

Two times in my life, I felt like I had lost my faith and fell into this buffer between iman and kufr. Maybe I was in iman, or maybe in the abyss of kufr, that I will never know; but it was a perpetual state of incertitude about myself and my identity. I would come to the masjid, but didn’t know why I was there and why I was doing what I was doing. I felt disoriented by the

Two times in my life, I felt like I had lost my faith and fell into this buffer state between iman and kufr.

orthodoxy of my life, exhausted by the daily ibada and to even contemplate the remembrance of Allah was nauseating. I didn’t have a grip on myself and felt like I was being consumed by a demon from within.

This happened the first time in 1996 and the second time in 2007-8. The type of books I enjoyed reading and other related factors triggered these two very precarious states. I always was a bookworm

and devoured anything and everything that came my way [as long as it did not involve numbers and formulas (e.g., math and chemistry)]. I was struggling with the new ideas and thoughts I was reading about, and though they didn’t make me question my creed outwardly, they were challenging my intellect and corrupting my heart in a very subliminal way. I knew this because everything I ingested induced doubts about so much

of what I believed in.

I finally came to Hazrat the first time in 1996 and broke down in front of him. I was too embarrassed to tell anyone else about my ordeal and trusted him as an elder. I did not reveal to him anything about the books I studied since I wasn’t aware of their poisonous effect at the time. I figured that out much later.

He gave me a book to read called Dahriyat se Islam tek,

which should have quelled all my doubts. It made perfect sense and provided rational arguments to all my questions. The problem was that it was raising more questions than it answered, which was quite intriguing even for me. I wondered why I was still in doubt. The maelstrom inside was being churned by the book.

It took me some time to realize that Hazrat gave me the book to diagnose whether my problem was spiritual or intellectual. Was I truly in doubt about my faith or was my spiritual brokenness due to my sins or internal deficiencies triggering this painful estrangement from my faith?

I didn’t learn my lesson, and the same thing happened again in 2008. I was reading the kind of books that I knew could endanger my iman, but my confidence in myself got the better of me. This time though it was much, much worse. I felt like I had been hit by a truck. I didn’t know if I would survive the ordeal but also was too ashamed to talk about it with anyone. How could I? I had done it to myself. I stopped eating, lost lots of weight and withdrew from friends and family. I became an automaton doing everything like a ritual without emotion or expression.

I was consumed by deviant thoughts. They took possession over every

aspect of my life. I could not do a thing without manic thoughts overshadowing every activity and movement. I fought with these demons night and day. I argued with each of them and once one was wrestled down, another took its place. After I had put that down, yet another came in its place.

It never ended. The cycle only repeated itself as the first thought returned like a juggernaut. I was going mad and exhausted by all the chaos of recycled arguments without any time left to think or feel anything else.

I came to Hazrat again, but this time he saw it in my eyes. He told me stop everything I was doing and quickly diagnosed my problem. I was too intellectually engaged in futile matters and thought too much of myself. I needed to throw all the books out and get rid of all the other content that was aggravating my condition. He also told me to read a specific section of Ashraf al-Sawanih and return to him once I had completed it.

The book worked like magic on my internal wound. Only Allah knows how it happened. The moment I finished reading the section I felt like the cancer in my body had been removed and a huge weight had been lifted off my heart. I told Hazrat about my condition and the relief I felt from the book. My wound

was still aching but I was at least returning to my senses. I could feel again and was back in my body. He warned me of my arrogance and told me to read more of the Akabir. I felt like Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanawi was my savior. I fell in love with him and started consuming all his malfuzat. I could never get enough of his beautiful insight and wisdom.

I had not completely healed through, but was feeling much better. In addition to the daily taleem after Asr, I started sitting with Hazrat in his office during break time in the afternoon. While he did his office work, I would feel comforted by his presence. Though he never said anything to me or paid me much attention, I knew his eye was on me.

One day at taleem time after Asr, Hazrat did something unexpected. On this day, a CD player sat in place of the reader who read the taleem.

I was confused. Then, Hazrat announced that we would hear a nasheed in praise of the Prophet a in the words of the poet sahabi Hassan bin Thabit g. I cried profusely in that taleem, but didn’t know why. I was baffled by this emotional outpouring. I was the most dry-eyed person, so why was I crying and what triggered it?

Immediately after taleem, Hazrat called me into his office and told me to sit down. He turned to me and asked, “How did you feel about the nasheed?” I told him that I was shocked by my reaction and didn’t expect myself to break down crying. All he said was, “Very good.”

And that was the end of our conversation. Later, I understood that he was checking on me to see how much I had improved, or if I had even improved at all. Every now and then, I wonder what would have happened if Hazrat was not in my life to help me navigate my way through this dark forest. I’ll admit that suicide came to mind on more than one occasion, but as a believer I knew that that was not an option; but I also knew that without Hazrat, that route was the most enticing, offering to quickly take me out of my misery.

In the section that Hazrat had instructed me to read, I read that Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanawi had gone through a similar experience that lasted for a whole year. Hazrat had me read that section of Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanawi’s life to alleviate my own condition and know that I was not alone in this experience. This prescription proved half the antidote to my troubles. The other was in the remembrance of Allah.

Adherence to the Sunna

It was routine for musallis to come upstairs for snacks and refreshments on the north mezzanine in Masjid Zakariyya after Eid salat. It was a long mat underlaid with five or six 4x8 plywood pieces that seated roughly 45 people on each side. Hazrat also would join this gathering and sit at the head, though he rarely ever ate. I was about the 9th person down the line. Considering the distance and the number of heads between him and I and the hustle-bustle of attendants and guests, it was fairly hard for him to see me, especially if the rows on each side were staggered, some sitting closer while others further from the mat. Someone

came and whispered in my ear that Hazrat was calling me. As soon as I arrived, he gave me his signature smile and told me to sit down. He asked, “Do you know how the Prophet a sat while eating?” I was caught off guard by the question, but did highlight the three Sunna positions of sitting and eating according to the Sunna. He probed further. Was sitting cross-legged also Sunna? The question produced this sheepish smile across my face as I realized why he had called me. Then he explained that the purpose of knowledge is to put it to practice and that if scholars will not adhere to the Sunna, then how do we expect anyone else to.

For me, this was not only an important reminder, but also an unforgettable memory of my shaykh’s love for the Sunna and how he wanted to hold everyone who put their trust in him to the highest standard of deen. n

One manner of sitting according to the Sunna while eating.

shura

Abd-Allah ibn ‘Abbas g said: “When the Messenger of Allah s fasted on `Ashura and commanded the Muslims to fast as well, they said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, it is a day that is venerated by the Jews and Christians.’ The Prophet s said, ‘If I live to see the next year, in sha Allah, we will fast on the ninth day too.’ But it so happened that the Prophet s passed away before the next year came.”

The Prophet s came to Madina

and saw the Jews fasting on the day of ‘Ashura’. He said, “What is this?”

They said, “This is a good day, this is the day when Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy and Musa fasted on this day.” He said, “We are closer to Musa than you.”

So he fasted on this day and told the people to fast (Bukhari).

Fasting the day of ‘Arafah, I hope Allah will expiate thereby for the year be -

fore it and the year after it, and fasting the day of ‘Ashoora’ I hope Allah will expiate thereby for the year that came before it”(Muslim).

Ibn ‘Abbas g said: “I never saw the Prophet s so keen to fast any day and give it priority over any other than this day, the day of `Ashura, and this month, meaning Ramadan” (Bukhari).

Four hadith on the 10 th of Muharram

FATAWA

What is the ruling on reciting of Surah Yasin or any other surah in a graveyard?

It is mustahabb to recite Surah Yasin or any other part of the Quran with the intention of sending the reward to the deceased. However, one should not regard the recitation of the Quran by the graveyard as necessary. Considering the following narrations: Ma’qal bin Yasar g narrates that the Prophet a said, ‘Sura Yaseen is the heart of the Quran. Whoever recites it for the sake of Allah and for goodness in the Hereafter will be forgiven. Recite it upon your deceased ones” (Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, Ibn-Hibban). Similarly, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar k said he heard the Prophet a say, “When one of you dies do not keep him long, but take him quickly to his grave and have the opening verses of Sura al-Baqara recited at his head and the concluding verses of the same sura at his feet” (Bayhaqi).

What is the reality of performing istikhara (seeking guidance from Allah regarding a specific matter), mashwara

Mufti Husain Ahmad Badri

(consultation), and decision-making in Islam?

Performing istikhara and making mashwara with people are two separate Sunna each with their own benefits. When a person performs istikhara, he is seeking guidance from Allah regarding any matter in which he is in a state of incertitude. Seeing a dream in istikhara is not necessary, but it can be an indication of the guidance a person may be seeking.

While mashwara is to seek counsel and advice from people who can relate to your dilemma.

When a person intends to make a decision:

He should seek advice and make mashwara. If doubtful after consulting with the right people, he should then make istikhara and act upon its guidance. Otherwise, he may recite the following du‘a seven times and follow where his heart is inclined.

Oh

Allah, put goodness in what I do and choose for me.

It is mustahabb to recite Surah Yasin or any other part of the Quran with the intention of sending the reward to the deceased. However, one should not regard the recitation of the Quran by the graveyard as necessary.

What is the ruling on a person who recites durood Ibrahim in the first sitting (qa’dah ula) of a fard or nafl salah? Would sajda sahw (remedial prostration) be necessary?

In principle, durood Ibrahim should be recited at the end of each salah. The Sunna will thus be fulfilled by reciting it in the final sitting of a four rak’a salah. However, every two rak’a of a nafl or ghayr mu’akkada (unemphasized salat) salah are regarded as separate parts of salat. Therefore, every believer is encouraged to recite durood Ibrahim in the qa’ada ula of such prayers as well. But if one mistakenly recites durood Ibrahim in the first sitting of a fard salah or a four rak’a sunnah mu’akkada salah, sajda sahw will be necessary.

Is using Controlled Atmosphere Stunning (CAS) on chickens before slaughter permissible?

Controlled Atmosphere Stunning refers to a process whereby chickens are placed on crates or in a chamber, and then oxygen is removed from the environment and replaced with carbon dioxide, inert gases, or a mixture of both. This stuns the chickens and renders them unconscious to ensure quick and efficient slaughtering as well as minimal stress and damage to the chickens. Although the use of CAS is both reversible and irreversible, the irreversible method is more frequently used. For an animal to be considered halal, the animal must be alive during the time of slaughter. The irreversible CAS process results in the chicken’s death minutes after the stunning.

There are many variables to take into consideration which make consumption of the chicken questionable. They are:

1. What quantity of gas is being used, and what is the duration of exposure the chickens have to the gas? Both affect the duration of life, making it uncertain as to whether the chicken was alive or dead when it was slaughtered.

2. Does the method cause suffocation and death from being crushed under other chickens? This would render the chicken dead before slaughter deeming it impermissible to consume.

3. Does the method cause inconsistent exposure to the gas among the chickens? If the chickens are piled on top of each other, and gas is released from one area within the

Controlled Atmosphere

Stunning (CAS) refers to a process whereby chickens are placed on crates or in a chamber, and then oxygen is removed from the environment replaced by carbon dioxide, inert gases, or a mixture of both.

chamber, it can cause inconsistent exposure affecting the duration of life preceding the gas stun. This results in the undetermined life of the chickens during slaughter.

4. Does the machinery dump the chicken from the crates after being stunned? This results in a quicker death or death itself. Due to the above variables, setting out a general ruling would be difficult as each method has a different outcome. It should also be noted that many developments are still being made within the CAS system. If the CAS system is implemented to show clear signs of life after being stunned, the animal would be considered ḥalāl for consumption after slaughter, even if the animal is unconscious. This takes extensive research and monitoring to ensure

there is brain and heart activity following the stun and before the slaughtering of the animal. This can be determined by EEG (Electroencephalogram), SSEP (Somatosensory evoked potentials), and ECG (Electrocardiogram).

It is highly recommended due to the many variables that one refers to a reliable halal certifying body that has done extensive research, monitors the procedure regularly, and has fixed standards in regard to the use of CAS.

I was not able to perform udhiya last year due to certain circumstances. Can I sacrifice one extra animal this year to make up for the previous year, one for the current wajib and one for the previous year? Or should it be made up in some other way?

In principle, if a person misses a wajib udhiya he must give cash equal to the value of the udhiya in charity to any poor/needy person. One cannot slaughter an animal to make up for udhiya of the previous year.

A student resides in Chatham and boards in the madrasa. They go to Windsor (which is less than the Shari‘a require-

In principle, if a person misses a wajib udhiya he must give cash equal to the value of the udhiya in charity to any poor/ needy person. One cannot slaughter an animal to make up for udhiya of the previous year.

ment for being a traveler) for the weekend. In Windsor, they decide to go to Toronto in the upcoming weekend but will stop enroute in Chatham for a few nights. Would such a person be considered a traveler from the time they leave Windsor?

They would not be considered a “traveler” during the trip to Windsor and their subsequent stay in Chatham. However, once the student leaves Chatham with the intention of going to Toronto (which is more than the Shari‘a required distance to be consider a traveler), then one will be required to do qasr.

Zakat is given to a person that does not

possess the threshold (nisab) of zakat or its equivalent value after deducting their basic necessities. My query is what qualifies as “basic necessities”?

From the outset, it should be understood that there is no clear definition of “basic necessities”, it generally refers to items used for one’s personal needs according to moderate living standards. Thus, if one possesses excess belongings that they can live comfortably without, then such items will not fall under “basic necessities.” Consider the following chart:

BASIC NECESSITIES NON-NECESSITIES

A primary house that one resides in rental houses or any other secondary house, etc.

A car that one uses on a daily basis

An additional car merely for one’s

Clothes used throughout the seasons, working clothes, office/school uniforms, etc.

Utensils used for food or drinks, etc.

Home furniture, cleaning supplies, tools, or books used for research

Rental houses or any other secondary house, etc.

An additional car merely for one’s auxiliary comfort

Extra clothes that one can live comfortably without, e.g., wedding dress

Decorative utensils (used as a display)

Gaming systems, tv, or other items used for entertainment purposes