Going to Beaches in Summer

Going to Beaches in Summer

Question
Dear scholars, As-salamu `alaykum. Is it permissible for a Muslim to enjoy summer at the beach ? And what are the conditions for enjoying the beach in summer ? Jazakum Allah khayran. ( Question By : Shadi - United States )

Answer
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear brother in Islam, thanks a lot for your question, which reflects your care to have a clear view of the teachings of Islam. Allah commands Muslims to refer to people of knowledge to become well acquainted with the teachings of Islam as well as all aspects of life.

Going to beaches for recreation is permissible for any Muslim. Practicing Muslims are not to be denied this right. Practicing Muslims, like anyone else, are free to enjoy the fresh air of the sea.

Almighty Allah permits Muslims to enjoy the lawful things He gave to them. Among these lawful things is sightseeing and enjoying the beauty of the universe. Almighty Allah says: (Say: Who hath forbidden the adornment of Allah which He hath brought forth for His bondmen, and the good things of His providing?) (Al-A`raf 5:32). But this should be within the prescribed limits, not to fall into that which is haram.

In his response to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:

In Islam, we are warned against sins of nudity, promiscuity, and permissiveness that corrupt the soul as well as the mind. They all lead to temptations, which lead to sins, and sins eventually lead to Hellfire and eternal perdition.

It is therefore imperative that, while enjoying summer at the beach, we specifically avoid areas associated with the above and find locations or times where we will be staying clear of the above completely.

While enjoying summer at the beach as a group, we are not allowed to practice indiscriminate mingling of sexes, nor are we allowed to expose our `awrah to others. Remember `awrah includes all parts of the body that we must keep covered from others (except our lawful spouses).

Finally, while enjoying summer activities we must never forget our Prayers or other essential Islamic duties of worship.

You can assign different areas of the beach for males and females for activities such as swimming, or divide the time by making schedules for them.

Use your creative mind to think of halal (lawful) alternatives, for Allah assures us that for everything He has declared as haram (unlawful) for us, there is always a halal alternative in Islam. Therefore, our challenge is to find the halal alternative.

For as long as the above mentioned factors are taken into consideration, there are no restrictions on enjoying summer at the beach.

Wearing Colored Contact Lenses

Wearing Colored Contact Lenses

Question
As-Salamu `alaykum wa Ramatullah wa Barakatuh! Dear scholars, what does Islam say on wearing colored contact lenses, especially for women? Is it haram ? ( Question By : Salwa )

Answer
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear sister in Islam, we would like to thank you for showing keenness on knowing the teachings of Islam, and we appreciate the great confidence you have in us. We hope our efforts meet your expectations.

As regards your question, we’d like to cite for you the fatwa issued by Sheikh `Atiyyah Saqr, former head of Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee:

“I think that when men use contact lenses, they use them primarily to cure their sore eyesight. Such form of use both for curing long-sightedness and short-sightedness is purely for a medical purpose. Therefore, there is nothing wrong in using contact lenses in this case because they here resemble normal eye glasses. What applies to men, according to the previous ruling, applies also to women.

However, if women use those contact lenses for the purpose of exposing beauty, drawing men’s attention and causing temptation, there is no doubt that such thing is strictly prohibited.

Here, we would like to refer to an important point, relating to the common habit noticed in some girls wearing colorful contact lenses and choosing the green in particular for the purpose of attraction, and physical appearance. So the ruling on this is based on the purpose and intention. If the aim behind wearing such contact lenses is to cause sedition and obtain gains out of deception, then there is no doubt that wearing such lenses in this case is forbidden."

Shedding more light on this issue, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, Imam and religious director at both the Islamic center of Toronto (Jami mosque) and the Islamic foundation of Toronto, and instructor at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, says:

“The Shari`ah has come to observe three categories of people’s interests (Masalih), namely Daroriyyat (necessities), Hajiyyat (complementary), and Tahsiniyyat (embellishments). In all of its rulings the Shari`ah aims at the realization of one or the other of these Masalih.

As far as the issue of women wearing colored contacts is concerned, I would like to raise this question: under which category of the foregoing interests can we put this act? I cannot say it is Daroriyyat, nor Hajiyyat, or Tahsiniyyat because I wonder why do women think they should do that?

Further, some of these modern cosmetics aim at changing Allah’s creation in some forms like changing the color of the eye. Allah has given each woman a beauty that she can adorn herself and beautify for her husband without going to the extreme and doing something which might be considered repugnant according to the Shari`ah.

I do not say wearing colored contacts is haram since there is no certain operation to be undergone with a view to changing the color of the eyes forever. But I would say it is a kind of excessive beautification which is not recommended in Islam. Islam, as a religion that is based on moderation, does not approve of going to the extreme in anything.

However, if such kind of lenses are used for medical purpose and for the sake of treating sickness in the eyes, then it is a necessity which is given exception in Islam.”

Sheikh Muhammad Saleh Al-Munajid, a prominent Saudi lecturer and author, adds:

“There are two types of contact lenses:
1- Ophthalmic contact lenses: Those that are used to correct sight defects. There is nothing wrong with using this kind of contact lenses on the advice of a specialist oculist.

2- Colored cosmetic contact lenses: These come under the rulings on adornment. If a woman wears them for her husband, there is nothing wrong with it. If she wears them for other to see her, then it should not cause any fitnah or temptation. There is also the condition that they should not cause any harm, and there should be no element of cheating or deceiving, such as a woman wearing them when she meets the man who is proposing marriage to her.“

Giving a Muslim Child a Non-Arabic Name

Giving a Muslim Child a Non-Arabic Name

Question
Dear scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum. Can you give your child a name that is in a language other than Arabic, as long as it has a good meaning? Jazakum Allah khayran. ( Question By : Charles - Canada )

Answer

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear questioner, we would like to thank you for the great confidence you place in us, and we implore Allah Almighty to help us serve His cause and render our work for His Sake.

Islam does not oblige Muslim people to choose specific names, Arabic or non-Arabic, for their children, whether boys or girls. It is rather up to people to choose the names for their children. However, selecting names should be pursuant to some Islamic rules that will be stated below. Islam emphasizes that Muslims should have good names and give good names to their children. It is reported in a Hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "You will be called on the Day of Resurrection by your names and the names of your fathers, so have good names." (Reported by Abu Dawud)

Answering your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:

“Children are a trust in the hands of parents. Parents, therefore, have a duty to receive this divine gift with a true sense of gratitude and do everything at their disposal to provide the best nurturing. There is nothing better they can do in this regard than by providing them a home filled with love and kindness, and thus contributing to their overall physical, intellectual, ethical and spiritual growth and development. Such a duty begins before the birth of the child and extends all through their lives. Having said this, I must say, that the first important duty when a child is born is to recite the adhan in the right ear in a gentle voice, and give him or her a good name.

As for the choice of names, we are given the following guidelines:
1. We must certainly avoid names that indicate any trace of shirk or association of partners with Allah. Therefore it is forbidden to call someone `Abd al-Ka`bah, or `Abd al-Nabi (servant of the Ka`bah or servant of the Prophet), since all of us are servants of Allah alone.

2. We must also avoid names that imply meanings that are offensive or unpleasant in connotations. The Prophet changed names such as Harb (War) with Salam (Peace), ‘Asiyah (Rebellious) with Jamilah (Beautiful), Sa`b (Difficult) with Sahl (Easy to deal with), etc.

3. We are encouraged to give names that have good or noble meanings or associations, for names may inadvertently inspire a person to do great things or stay away from vices. Choosing names of prophets or great persons who have been role models of virtue and piety is an excellent idea. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) named his son Ibrahim, and he said, “I have called him by my father’s name!”

Having said this, I must add: There is nothing in the Islamic sources to indicate that we are allowed only to give our children Arabic names. Since Islam is a universal religion, there is no such requirement. Any name is okay so long as we keep in mind the above points. But, at the same time, while choosing names, we must strive our best not to compromise our Islamic identity.”

Excerpted, with slight modifications, from: www.islam.ca

Breastfeeding Period for Male and Female Babies

Breastfeeding Period for Male and Female Babies

Question
Dear scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum. I heard that boys should be nursed (before weaning) for a longer period than girls. Is that true ? Please clarify. Jazakum Allah khayran. ( Question By : Samira )

Answer
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear sister in Islam, we appreciate your question and the trust you place in us. We implore Allah Almighty to help us serve His cause and render our work for His Sake.

It should be clear that Islam does not sanction any discrimination between children based on gender differences; this is totally un-Islamic. The idea that a baby boy should be nursed for a longer period than a baby girl can be traced to customs of people, while Islam is totally innocent of such discrimination.

Answering the question you raised, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:

"Allah says in the Qur’an: “And the mothers may nurse their children for two whole years, if they wish to complete the period of nursing…And if both (parents) decide, by mutual consent and counsel, upon weaning the child, they will incur no sin (thereby); and if you decide to entrust your children to foster-mothers, you will incur no sin provided you ensure, in a fair manner, the safety of the child which you are handing over. But remain conscious of Allah, and know that Allah sees all that you do.” (Al-Baqarah: 233)

Based on the above verses as well as the relevant traditions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), scholars have concluded that the ideal period of breast-feeding a child is two years. In this respect there is absolutely no difference whatsoever between a baby boy and a baby girl. One should, however, not rush to conclude from this that parents are not allowed to wean a child before two years.

Parents are allowed to wean a child before the expiry of two years —provided they do so based on consensual agreement and provided doing so would not jeopardize the health of the child. Children vary in their need for breast-milk because of the differences in their development and health considerations. This is why the Shari`ah has not laid down any hard and fast rule in this regard. The decision when to wean a child is left to parents, who are instructed to exercise it by considering primarily the welfare of the child involved.

If, therefore, it has been determined that weaning a particular child before two years is considered detrimental to the normal health of the child, it shall be considered haram (unlawful) for parents to do so, as we are not allowed to jeopardize the wellbeing of a child.
It should be clear from what is stated above that there is no difference in all of these between a baby boy and baby girl. The Qur’anic imperative stipulates that each child must be fed according to his or her needs and health conditions. To discriminate between children based purely on gender differences is not sanctioned in Islam. We must, therefore, consider it as purely un-Islamic. If one asks: Where did such an idea come from? The answer: It can be traced to customs of people, which ironically they often tend to project onto Islam, while Islam is totally innocent of such discrimination. Allah says, “Allah speaks the truth and He guides to the straight way.” (Al-Ahzab: 4)"

Excerpted, with slight modifications, from: www.muslims.ca

Treating Girls Differently

Treating Girls Differently

Question
I am female and my parents treat me different from my brothers. I think they are too strict, but they tell me that they just love me. Is this fair ? ( Question By : Sufia - United Kingdom )

Answer
In The Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear sister in Islam, thank you very much for having confidence in us, and we hope our efforts, which are purely for Allah’s Sake, meet your expectations.

As far as Islam is concerned, parents are required to treat their children equally. Parents might seem extra cautious as to the well being and religious upbringing of their children, especially girls. But girls should never think ill of their parents and they should keep in mind that their parents truly care for them and in no way will true Muslim parents treat daughters unfairly. Parents, on the other hand, ought to be thoughtful of their children’s feelings and try their best to treat them justly and fairly. With this, the root of the problem will be removed and the whole atmosphere of love, compassion, tranquility and serenity will replace ill feelings.

In his response to the question, Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi, former president of the Islamic Society of North America, states the following:

Boys and girls both should be treated fairly by their parents and other elders. The rules of halal and haram are the same for boys and girls. It is not Shari`ah, but our cultural mentality that makes some of us think that a loose boy is O.K., but a loose girl is not because she brings shame to the entire family. The un-Islamic behavior brings shame, whether it is of boys or girls. All of us should understand that.

Moreover, parents should be equally concerned with the behavior of their boys and girls. This is the general principle, but girls also have a special need. They need more protection, because very often it is girls who become the victims of assaults, rape and other indignities. In most cases boys can defend themselves, but girls need help.

In America, we see warnings and reminders to girls and women at schools, colleges and universities and everywhere, that they should be extra careful and cautious. They should not go alone in unpopulated areas, especially at night. They are told to be careful when dealing with males, even those whom they know. All these warnings are given for only one reason and the reason is that females need more protection. Thus, it is necessary for girls to receive extra care and attention from their parents as well as their older brothers and other relatives.

Based on this, your parents are true when they say that they love you. It is because of their love for you they want to protect you, but they should not have a double standard of halal and haram. They should not make one standard for boys and another for girls. That is un-Islamic.