Questions: Manners/Non-Muslims
1) I was put in a situation were an unbeliever "kafir"
made the sign of the cross "Tasslib" while I was talking to him,
of course I was shocked and hated what he did in my heart but I couldn't
leave or make inkar by mouth because he is our boss "to be".
Did I do anything that is "ithm"?
No. What he did is in agreement with his beliefs. The best you can do
is make dawah with him, i.e. work on the roots - not the symptoms.
2) Can we be nice to kuffar as long as we hate the religion that
they are in? I mean being nice as in holding the door for them or helping
them find a place or saying good morning or bye etc?
Yes, this is a form of Da`wah.
If that is ok, what is "wala" then . Can u please explain
in the light of "La tajidu qawman yu'minoona billahi wal yawmil akhir
yuwaddoona man hadd Allaha warasoolah....." Al Mujadila 22?
You should read as well al-Mumtahanah 8. Also, we have available in
our bookstore a set of tapes by M al-Jibaly explaining walaa and baraa
in English.
3) My grandmother is coming up to visit. She is non-Muslim and is
willing to adapt her habits to prepare me halal food. She does not know
all the intricicies of the way the kaffir puts haram in it's ingrediants
and she may unknowingly give me something haram. May I still take food
from her and not investigate (i.e. ask questions) what ingrediants are
in the food as long as she says "there is no animal or alcohol in
this meal."?
If you feel that there is a good likelihood that she may put haraam
ingredients in the food, then you must instruct her carefull and ask her
if you have doubts.
4) Sometimes a non-muslim would ask me to help him do a homepage
or do anything (in this case). I offer my help and then I discover that
he is going to put links to some music channels or any other Haram matter.
My question is :
Can I do that aftrer I know that he is going to put links to haram
places? Can I do that in General (to a non Muslim?) Can I do that if I
doubt that he will not put Halal links from his state? (from the way he
acts , interests etc?)
No to all.
5) To your knowledge, after a person comes back to Islam (makes Sha-hada),
is there an Islamic requirement for that person to publicly declare his
or her Islam? If you answer "yes," kindly provide cites to support
your position.
You need to make other Muslims know of your Islam in order to treat
you as a Muslim. The Prophet (pbuh) said, "I have been commanded to
fight against people until they testify that there is no true diety except
Allaah and that Muhammad is His Messenger. Once they say it, they protect
their blood and wealth from me -- except in accordance with the right of
Islam, and their judgement is with Allaah."
What about non-Muslims in a non-Muslim country where Islam is arguably
the fastest growing religion? Are we required to "say it" to
them too, for we "testify" to them through our conduct?
This is an optional matter that depends on your judgement of the situation,
and whether it is in the best interst of Islam and yourself to declare
your Islam to them or keep it secret.
Added on: Nov 11, 1996
6) A Christian asked how to do the prayer. What should my response
be for someone who wants to do this when they are not Muslim. Below is
what the Christian wrote about the reasons for wanting to make Salat:
Being brought up in a Christian household and considering myself
a Christian, I recognize that there is one God for all the world. Allah
was the God of Araham and David, the same God Christians worship by the
names of Jehovah, Yaweh, or El-Shaddai. If the word translated "prophet"
in the statement "There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is His prophet."
means to say that Mohammed is a wise teacher who spoke of future times
sent by God to do His work, that would be very hard to deny. While performing
ablutions in the middle of the work day may be socially sanctioned against
by the typical American employer, the symbolism is an important part of
the Christian rite of baptism. I only seek a way to strengthen my faith
in our God and better serve Him. Please forgive me if my question was an
inappropriate one. Once again, thank you.
Your friend's reasoning does not seem very convincing. It sounds like
"christianized" Islam. He/she wants to prove that all religions
are acceptable and equivalent. One cannot pray before becoming Muslim,
as the Prophet (pbug) told Muaath when he sent him to Yemen, "You
are going to People of the Book. Let the first thing to which you call
them be the Shahaadah. If they say it, then tell them that Allaah has enjoined
on them 5 prayers ..."
Added on: Nov 11, 1996
7) How do you advise us to act on Halloween , if someone wants
asks for a trick or treat ...... what if he harms us if we do not give
him a treat?
You should not give a treat, because that is a form of support to their
evil (review our book, "Celebrations in Islam"). If this leads
to harm, you have to weigh the situation and do the least of the evils
(review our book, "Commanding Good and Forbidding Evil").
Added on: Nov 11, 1996
8) I have recently met a muslim man who is very strong in his
faith,however i am a christian woman and very strong in my own faith, but
it is very obvious that we are getting serious about each other, there
has been no physical contact and he is extremely respectful, up to now
he avoids the issue of our future together,i am not willing to become a
muslim, but my heart is humble and i do love this man enough to become
educated on his beliefs and support them 100%, especially since i also
have muslim friends and relatives. But my question to you is this: since
he avoids the issue, what is our future together with him as a muslim and
me not?
- We have a question answered on our page explaining why, from Islamic
viewpoint, a Muslim man may not marry a christian woman at our time. Please
refer to that.
- You seem contradictory in your question. You say "strong in my
own faith", then you say, "and support his beliefs 100%".
Such support could only mean one thing: accept them fully.
- As people learn through experience and maturity, religious beliefs
are so strong that, even if other temporal emotions overcome them for a
brief time, they will eventually resurface and have the upperhand.
- If he agrees to recognize you, and decides to marry you, he will always
find some imaams willing to perform the marriage (wrong though it is as
stated above). But this gives no guarantees for a lasting life together,
as indicated in (3) above.
- You should consider Islaam seriously. You say that you have Muslim
friends and relatives. We do not believe that any of them has presented
Islam to you in its true beauty, otherwise, you would have no choice but
to accept it, because it is the only true religion from our Creater.
Added on: Dec 23, 1996
9) My wife and I plan on visiting my relatives who are Christians.
Usually, they say a prayer over all of the food before they eat dinner.
Would it be haram to eat the dishes that contained no meat? For example,
the rice, fruits, bread etc.
Do not let them pray over your plates. However, their prayer is not
to offer the food to their "Lord", but to thank him for it. If
this is the case then the food is not an offering to other than Allaah,
and is therefore permissible to eat. This applies to all food that does
not contain pig products, or animals that have been killed without correct
slaughtering.
Added on: Dec 23, 1996
10) I have read hadeeth about importance of being close to your
neighbors, and being aware of their hardships, etc. Is that only limited
to Muslim neighbors, or also kuffar neighbors?
You are not supposed to be in the neighborhood of kuffaar to start with.
If you are, you must stay away from them as much as possible, except in
the limited scope of offering them da`wah.
Added on: Feb 1, 1997
11) Is it permissible to sue a company in a case where two Muslims
has been physically and verbally harrased many times ,and followind in
a grocery store by a worker who wanted to make us change our religion?
It is not only permissible, it is an obligation -- if you know that
this will protect the rights of Muslims.
Added on: March 10, 1997
12) A supplier (ignorant!) sent me a bottle of wine through the
mail as a "gift" for "christmas". Now our company policy
on any gifts is "NO! Thanks", but in this particular instance,
what do I do? Do I return the bottle, throw it away, etc.? The concern
here is that does it involve me in the curse of "...one who carries,
sells, ... etc." from the authenic hadeeth? Right now its sitting
in my office under a table. Please advise.
Trash it, and contact the supplier to thank him and tell him not to
do it again.
Added on: March 10, 1997
13) I have read hadeeth about importance of being close to your
neighbors, and being aware of their hardships, etc. Is that only limited
to Muslim neighbors, or also kuffar neighbors?
Yes. For the kuffaar, you are not supposed to be their neigbor except
in very limited exceptional situations. And dealing with them, in all cases,
should be based on principles of da'wah.
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