Illuminations with Masjid donations
Question: What do the Islamic scholars and Muftis say regarding buying lights with the donations of the Masjid for illuminating the Masjid? These days, buying lights is cheaper than hiring them and the lights bought once can be used on different occasions such as Shab-e-Bara’at and sacred nights of Ramadan-ul-Mubarak, which is very convenient. (Questioner: Muhammad Hasan Attari from the Light House area of Bab-ul-Madinah, Karachi.)
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْم
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
People give donations to the Masjid for its usual expenses such as construction, payment of utility bills, stipends of the Imam, the Muazzin and the servants and cleanliness of Masjid, etc.
The ruling on illuminating the Masjid with the same donations is as follows: If donors have given permission for it, either explicitly or implicitly, then this can be done, otherwise not. Explicit permission implies that the donation-collecting person has made it clear to the donor when receiving donations for the Masjid that the money the donor has given would also be used to illuminate the Masjid on the occasions of celebration of Milad and other sacred nights. If the donor has agreed, this would be considered explicit permission. Implicit permission is that donors are already aware that the Masjid is illuminated on the occasions of celebration of Milad, other sacred nights including the nights of Ramadan-ul-Mubarak with the donations collected for the Masjid. Once the permission has been obtained either explicitly or implicitly, it is now allowed to buy lights as well as to hire them. Anyway, the method more beneficial to the Masjid should be adopted.
The best way is to collect separate donations for buying lights to be used for illuminating the Masjid in Rabi’-ul-Awwal as well as on different occasions. You may also request any benefactor to buy lights and give them to the Masjid.
وَاللهُ اَعلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُولُهٗ اَعلَم صَلَّی اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیهِ واٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
Answered by: Abu Huzaifa Muhammad Shafiq Al-Attari Al-Madani
Certified by: Abu Saleh Muhammad Qaasim Qadiri
Leftover donation collected for Milad gathering
Question: What do the blessed scholars say on the following issue? A Milad gathering is held every year in our village and was also held this year. Some of the donation collected for this gathering was left over. Now the question is, can pots and other necessary things for the Masjid such as the loud speaker, the sound system, mats, etc., be bought or not with the same leftover donations? (Questioner: Hafiz Naseer-ud-din from Pindi Gheb, Attock)
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّ حِیْم
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
Answer: The donation collected for a blessed Milad gathering can be spent only on a Milad gathering. It is not allowed to use it for any other purpose and spending it on anything else is impermissible and a sin. Return the leftover money to each of the donors according to their shares or get permission from them. If they give permission, it will now be allowed to use it only for the permissible purpose they have given the permission for. If they give permission for buying pots, loud speakers or mats, then these things can also be bought in this case.
If the donors are not known, then spend it on any other similar Milad gathering. If this is not possible, spend it next year on the same Milad gathering or give it to Masakeen as charity like a Luqtah (i.e. the thing found lying somewhere) or use it for any pious purpose.
وَاللهُ اَعلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُولُهٗ اَعلَم صَلَّی اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیهِ واٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
Answered by: Muhammad Naveed Chishti
Certified by: Abu Saleh Muhammad Qaasim Qadiri
Ruling on Na’at with tambourine and Zikr
Question: What do Islamic scholars say on the ruling of reciting and listening to Na’ats with tambourine being played with it? Furthermore, is it permissible or not to recite and listen to the Na’at with Zikr of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ being made in the background? (Questioner: Zain-ul-Abidin from Gulistan Colony, Rawalpindi.)
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّ حِیْم
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
No doubt, reciting the Na’at of the Beloved and Blessed Nabi صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is a means of gaining reward, blessing, Divine mercy and pleasure of the Holy Nabi صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. It also enhances our love and devotion to him. But, like all other matters, it must also be done within the bounds of Shari’ah. Here is now some detail. If the tambourine is of the kind that produces musical sound, it is absolutely impermissible to play it. To recite Na’at with such a tambourine is strictly forbidden and is a severe sin. If the tambourine does not produce musical sound, then permission for playing the tambourine is granted subject to the fulfilment of three conditions. If any of these three conditions remains unfulfilled, then it is not allowed to play it. The first condition is, it must not be played according to the rules of music. The second is, it must not be played by men because it is absolutely Makruh for men to play the tambourine. And the third is, it must not be played by respectable ladies. It is permissible for the small girls etc., to play it only when there is no fear of mischief. The tambourine-playing mentioned in the blessed Hadees was of the same kind as mentioned here. But the way tambourine is played these days does not fulfil all the conditions and hence, it is not permissible to play such a tambourine as well as to recite Na’at with it.
As for reciting Na’at with Zikr being made in the background, producing a drum-like sound and making the Na’at attractive, as is customary these days; the leading Islamic scholars have forbidden it and we also give the same Fatwa. At some places, it is not actually the Zikr of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, rather its distorted form, producing complete music-like rhythm. This is severe disrespect and impermissible. It is also forbidden to listen to this type of Zikr.
وَاللهُ اَعلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُولُهٗ اَعلَم صَلَّی اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیهِ واٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
Answered by: Muhammad Naveed Chishti
Certified by: Abu Saleh Muhammad Qaasim Qadiri
Comments