Jumu’ah Prayer Established in Prisons

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

The Standing Committee for Legal Verdicts and Research in Saudi Arabia was asked about a prisoner’s stance on Jumu’ah Prayer when incarcerated. They replied:

إذا أقيمت الجمعة داخل السجن أو في غيره، واستطاع أداءها فتجب عليه، وإذا لم يستطع أداء الجمعة فيصليها ظهرا.

وأما الحرية التي يذكرها الفقهاء شرطًا في وجوب الجمعة فمرادهم الحرية من الرق؛ لأن المملوك لا تجب عليه.

If Jumu’ah Prayer is established inside the prison or elsewhere, and he is capable of performing it, then it is binding (waajib) upon him. If he is unable to pray Jumu’ah Prayer, then he offers (in its place) Thuhr Prayer. As for the condition of freedom which the scholars of Fiqh mention in order for Jumu’ah to be an obligation, the intended meaning was: freedom from slavery, as a slave would not be required (to attend Jumu’ah).

Signed by:
Shaykh ‘Abdullaah ibn Qu’ood
Shaykh ‘Abdullaah ibn Ghudayyaan
Shaykh ‘Abdur-Razzaaq ‘Afeefee
Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn Baaz

Source: Verdicts of the Standing Committee (8/184-185), as found here.

Translation: Moosaa Richardson

rev.aw.

Pork By-Products in Food, Medicine, or Cosmetics

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Ever-Merciful…

The Permanent Committee of Scholars in Saudi Arabia was asked a question about foods, medicines, and cosmetics containing pork and pork by-products, like fat, oil, hair, or bones (crushed into powder).  They replied:

When a Muslim knows with certainty or near-certainty that pork, fat from the pig, or crushed pig bones are found in any type of food, medicine, toothpaste, or the likes, it is not permissible to eat, drink, or wipe it (on one’s body). And he is to leave whatever he is uncertain about, due to his statement (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace):

دع ما يريبك إلى ما لا يريبك

Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt.

And through Allaah is success.  May Allaah raise the rank of our Prophet Muhammad, and that of his family and companions, and grant them all peace.

[Shaykh] ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Qu’ood
Member

[Shaykh] ‘Abdullaah ibn Ghudayyaan
Member

[Shaykh] ‘Abdur-Razzaaq ‘Afeefee
Vice Chairman

[Shaykh] ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abdillaah ibn Baaz
Chairman

Source: Verdicts of the Permanent Committee (22/281).

Translated by: Moosaa Richardson

Q&A: Giving Charity on Behalf of the Deceased [Permanent Committee]

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the All-Merciful…

QUESTION: Is charity given on behalf of the deceased something that benefits the deceased?

ANSWER: Yes, the deceased will benefit from the charity given by the living on his behalf, according to the consensus of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah.

This is based on the hadeeth collected by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim from the narration of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), who said that a man came to the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) and said, “O Messenger of Allaah!  My mother’s soul was taken (suddenly), and she had not bequested anything (as charity to be given from her wealth).  I believe that she would have done so if she had spoken (before her death).  Would she get any reward if I gave charity on her behalf?”

He replied, “Yes.”

Also, due to the hadeeth collected by al-Bukhaaree from the narration of ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father), that Sa’d ibn ‘Ubaadah’s (may Allaah be pleased with him) mother died in his absence.  He later went to the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) and said, “O Messenger of Allaah! My mother has died while I was absent, so would she benefit if I gave charity on her behalf?”

He replied, “Yes.” 

He (Sa’d) said, “Then I take you as a witness that I give away my garden, al-Mikhraaf (the name of the garden), as charity on her behalf.”

These are among the authentic evidences about the deceased benefitting from giving charity on their behalf.

And through Allaah (alone) is success.  May Allaah raise the rank of our Prophet Muhammad and that of his family and companions, and grant them all peace.

Signed by:

  • [Shaykh] ‘Abdullaah ibn Qu’ood, Member
  • [Shaykh] ‘Abdur-Razzaaq ‘Afeefee, Vice-Chairman
  • [Shaykh] ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abdillaah ibn Baaz, Chairman

(May Allaah have Mercy on them.)

Source: The Permanent Committee’s Collection of Fatwaas (9/27-28)

Translated by: Moosaa Richardson

Q&A on Potential Dangers Found in Many Accounting Jobs

A Muslim concerned about his income asks:

I am an accountant that presents the financial statements of my organization to my employers. The banks pays interests (riba) on the company’s funds (the company is involved in halal business) saved with the banks and in the periodic statements they (the bank) send to us (accountant and my employers) they show clearly the analysis of the transaction my organisation has done with them over the period.

In the normal accounting profession, we are supposed to report this interest (riba) as well as all other transactions in the financial statements to the company, and the financial statements will not be complete unless they are shown, and thus Continue reading