Dar al-Ifta Ahl Al-Sunnah
Mufti Muhammad Qasim Attari
1. How should a patient make up prayers that were missed when he was healthy?
Q: What do the noble scholars say concerning the following matter: can someone who has missed prayers whilst he was healthy make up for them by praying through gestures now that he is ill? Will this suffice, or is it necessary for him to make up for them when he is healthy?
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
A: It is from the principles of Shariah that the missed prayers are offered like normal prayers. However, one is permitted to pray in a manner that provides ease if he is unable to bow, prostrate etc., due to illness. In the given scenario, the individual is only capable of praying through gestures. Therefore, if he performs any missed prayers using this method, they will be accepted, and it will not be necessary to repeat the prayers when he has recovered.
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
2. The ruling of using bone china
Q: What do the noble scholars say concerning the following matter: there are some utensils that are called bone china, which are made from various elements including bone ash. This tableware is common in my country, but is it permissible to use?
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
A: With the exception of human and pig bones, it is permissible to use utensils made from [crushed] animal bones, irrespective of whether the meat of the animal is permissible to consume or not. Apart from the bones of humans and pigs, it is permissible to benefit from animal bones because they are pure. During the process of making bone china, the bones are degelatinised and burnt (calcined to produce bone ash). After that, the bones, which are pure in essence, are free from every form of impurity. Consequently, it is permissible to use tableware made from these bones. Moreover, the permissibility of using the pure parts of living animals is established through hadith, as the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم used an ivory comb.
It is forbidden to use utensils made from the bones of pigs and humans because it is prohibited to benefit from their body parts. Using human bones is forbidden because Allah Almighty has made man the most noble in creation. So, due to the honour afforded to mankind, it is forbidden to benefit from human bones. It is haram (unlawful) to benefit from pig bones because pigs are impure in essence. If utensils are made from human or pig bones, and this is proven beyond doubt, it is impermissible to use them.
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
3. Are both good deeds and sins multiplied in Makkah?
Q: What do the noble scholars say concerning the following matter: if someone sins or performs a good deed outside al-Masjid al-Ḥarām, but within the boundaries of the holy sanctuary, will the reward or sin be multiplied by 100,000?
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
A: The reward and sin of an action being multiplied by 100,000 is not only specific to al-Masjid al-Ḥarām, rather it applies to the entire city of Makkah. The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم stated that one month of Ramadan and its fasts in Makkah is equivalent to 100,000 months of Ramadan. Similarly, the renowned Follower (tābiꜤī), Abū SaꜤīd Imam Ḥasan al-Baṣrī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه stated that the reward of one fast in Makkah is equal to 100,000 fasts, and giving one dirham in charity is equal to giving 100,000 dirhams in charity. Sayyidunā Ibn ꜤAbbās رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُما was asked why he made Ṭāˈif his place of residence instead of Makkah. He replied in the spirit of personal piety, “How can I stay in a city in which the punishment of sin is multiplied like the reward of a good deed?” Therefore, we learn that the increase in reward and sin is not specific to al-Masjid al-Ḥaram, rather it is applicable to the whole city of Makkah.
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
4. What is the expiation of swearing the same oath multiple times and breaking it?
Q: What do the noble scholars say concerning the following matter: a person swore an oath that he will not attend so-and-so’s wedding. He repeated these words multiple times in different places. Will this be classed as one oath or multiple oaths? If he breaks the oath, how many expiations are incurred?
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
A: In the aforementioned scenario, the oath is established as many times as he repeated the words. If he breaks his oath, it is necessary for him to give an expiation for every sworn oath, regardless of whether the oath was made in one sitting or many.
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
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