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Magic,
or Just Sick?
Question: How can one tell if one
is under the influence of black magic or Jinn? Who should one go to
for treatment?
Answered by Sheikh Rashîd
al-Hasan, professor at King Khâlid University
It is
common for people to attribute most of their afflictions to magic or
Jinn. Anyone who feels something wrong should first consult with
doctors. He may go further and see mental health specialists like
psychologists and psychiatrists. Many supposed cases of magic have
been successfully treated by psychiatrists.
In case all of
this fails, the patient may consult a trustworthy Islamic scholar to
check out his affliction.
Please avoid those charlatans who in
the name of Islam do a lot of chicanery and hocus-pocus to allegedly
rid people of Jinn and the influence of magic.
Can
Women Supervise Men?
Question: I am currently the
president of an Islamic School that I founded. The school has been
having many problems which have resulted in poor test scores amongst
the students. Until now I have only employed male principals, but
after the last one resigned, I decided to hire a female principle who
is far more qualified than the previous people who have held the
post. The faculty and staff of the school is made up of both men and
women. However, after they heard about a female principal taking
charge of the school, some of the male staff objected on the grounds
that a female can never hold authority over a male. I am still the
President, and my decision can over-ride the principal's at anytime.
The principle is simply in-charge of day-to-day affairs. Is it lawful
for me to retain her as principal?
Answered by
Sheikh Sa`ûd al-Nufaysân, former professor at al-Imâm
University
In Islamic Law, the woman is like the man unless
otherwise stipulated, such as is the case for some aspects of worship
and in some transactions. For instance, she does not pray or fast
during her menstrual period. She has to wear hijâb. She is
different in giving testimony and her share in inheritance is
generally less than that of a man. Except in cases such as these, all
the commands of the Qur’ân and Sunnah apply equally to both
sexes.
There is no evidence prohibiting a woman from being
appointed as a manager, supervisor, or headmistress in some kind of
work where men will be working under her direction.
Some
people might try to argue this point citing the verses: “Men are
the protectors and maintainers of women because Allah has given the
one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them
from their means” [Sûrah al-Nisâ’: 34] and
“But men have a degree over them” [Sûrah al-Baqarah:
228]. However, these people must the know that this refers only to
the relationship between husband and wife. The man must protect and
maintain his family.
It is true that the man has a degree over
the woman, but that does not mean that every man is better than every
woman. A woman could be better than several men and vice
versa.
Moreover, what is mentioned in the hadîth that
the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “A people who give political
authority to a woman will never succeed” is only talking about high
political office. Therefore, what is forbidden for a woman is to be a
president or a sovereign queen. This is what was decreed by the
scholars from the context of the hadîth. The Prophet (peace be
upon him) made this statement when he was informed that the king of
Persia had died and the Persians had appointed his daughter as their
new ruler.
Therefore, if this woman is the most educated and
capable among the school’s staff of males and females, then it is
permissible to appoint her, provided that she observes proper hijâb
and instructs the other women to do so. She has to lower her gaze
from men and refrain from being alone with any of them whether in the
workplace or outside of it. And Allah knows best.
I
Lied to Get a Job
Question: I have a wife and two
children. Recently, I was laid off from work. In order to get another
job, I had to lie about my citizenship status. The work that I do is
lawful, but the the fact I had to lie to get this job has bothered me
a lot. I would like to know your ruling about this.
Answered
by Sheikh al-Sharîf Hamzah al-Fa`r, professor at Umm al-Qurâ
University
The means that you used to secure this position
(lying about some matters) is unlawful even if it does not affect the
work itself. It is unlawful simply because lying is unlawful.
A
person once asked the Prophet (peace be upon him): “Can a believer
be a coward?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: “Yes”.
The person then asked: “Can he be stingy?” The Prophet (peace be
upon him) replied: “Yes”. He then asked: “Can he be a liar?”
To this the Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: “No.” [Sunan
al-Bayhaqî with a good chain of transmission]
You
have committed a sin for which you should ask Allah to forgive you.
You should repent from it and resolve not to do it again.
Therefore,
you have to inform your employer of all the facts and maybe they will
accept your excuse. If you fear some harm or abuse from them if you
inform them, then you simply have to resign.
Always keep in
mind that Allah, the one who created you, will not neglect you. The
provision that Allah has decreed for you in this life will reach you.
You must strive to attain it, seeking it through lawful means.
Allah says: “And for those who fear Allah, He (ever)
prepares a way out and He provides for him from (sources) he never
could expect." May Allah help you and give you success.
Are
Movers Responsible for Damage?
Question: If I hire movers to move
my furnishings and household goods from one house to another, are
they responsible for any damage that occurs to the property in the
course of moving. If they are, then to what extent?
Answered
by Sheikh Khâlid al-Mushaykih, professor at al-Imâm
University, al-Qasîm brach
When a person or company is
hired to move furniture or other property, that party assumes a
trust. The ruling of one who assumes a trust is that if he engages in
any act of misconduct or negligence then he is liable to compensate
for any injury or loss that is incurred on account of it.
Misconduct
is where the person does something that he is not supposed to do
while assuming the trust in question. Negligence is where the person
fails to do what he is obliged to do while assuming the
trust.
Therefore, if the movers do something they are not
supposed to do or fail to do what they are supposed to do to with
regard to the safeguarding and transporting of the property, then
they are liable for he damage that results.
If damage occurs
without it being on account of their misconduct or negligence, then
they are not liable for it. And Allah knows best.
Five
Harmful Animals
Question: Al-Salâm `Alaykum.
What are the five animals that a Muslim is supposed to kill if he
finds them anywhere?
Answered by Sheikh `Abd
al-Rahmân al-`Ajlân, lecturer at the Grand Mosque in
Mecca
Al-Salâm `Alaykum wa Rahmah Allah wa
Barakâtuh.
The animals we should kill are the snake,
the scorpion, the mouse, the kite and the biting dog. Our Prophet
(peace be upon him) said: “There are five debauchees that should be
killed at all times, even in the sacred months: the snake, the
colored crow, the mouse, the biting dog, and the bird known as a
kite. [Sahîh al-Bukharî (1829) and Sahîh
Muslim (1198)] In the same context and the same references we
also find mentioned: the crow, the bird known as a kite, the
scorpion, the mouse and the biting dog. And Allah (swt) knows best.
My
Cat: Kill it or Let it Go?
Question: We have had a cat for
eight years now. We want to kill it because it sprays everywhere and
we are afraid that it might fall pregnant. We cannot consider setting
it loose on the street, because it is so weak that it will not be
able to survive on its own. We plan to administer an injection and
not poison, so it will be less painful for the cat.
Answered
by Sheikh Hamad al-Haydarî, professor at al-Imâm
University
Putting this cat to death is not
permissible. If you are afraid of it causing harm or are worried on
account of the damage it may be doing in your house, then you may
take it away to a remote area where it will be capable of surviving.
As for the cat being weak and unable to survive outside the
home, this is not an excuse for you to kill it. Send it to any place
where it will be able to find its sustenance. In this case, if the
cat dies after that you will not be sinful.
The Prophet
(peace be upon him) said: “A woman was punished on account of a cat
she had kept imprisoned until it died, and because of it she entered
the Fire. She neither provided it with food and drink nor freed it so
it could feed upon the vermin on the ground.” [Sahîh
al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]
What
concerns us are the words: “…nor freed it so it could feed upon
the vermin on the ground.”
If you set this cat free in some
suitable place where it can look for its food, then you will not be
sinful if it dies. And Allah knows best.
I
Broke My Oath
Question: My friend took an oath by
swearing to Allah that she would abstain from a certain act and then
she broke this oath of hers and went ahead and performed the action.
What can she do to expiate herself? Should she fast for three days?
Answered by Sheikh Muhammad al-Manî`î,
professor at Umm al-Qurâ University
If a person swears an oath and the
breaks it, then he has to perform an expiation for it.
This expiation is to choose between
feeding ten poor people or clothing them or freeing a slave. The
person is free to choose whichever one of these things he wishes.
If he is incapable of carrying out any
of these, then and only then may he fast for three days. In that
case, it is better to fast the days consecutively.
He may not opt to fast for three days
unless he truly cannot fulfill one of the above mentioned three
requirements for expiation. Allah says: “Allah will not call you to
account for what is vain in your oaths, but He will call you to
account for your deliberate oaths: for expiation, feed ten indigent
persons, on a scale of the average for the food of your families; or
clothe them; or give a slave his freedom. If that is beyond your
means, fast for three days. That is the expiation for the oaths you
have sworn.”
The quantity of food that must be given
to each poor person is roughly 1.5 kilograms (1/2 sâ`) of food.
This would be roughly 15 kilograms of food in total.
Clothing a person entails giving each
person what is sufficient for a person to wear to prayer. You should
not give money in lieu of food or clothing.
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