Muslim man marrying a chaste Christian woman

I would be most grateful for your help with the following issue.
My daughter is a Christian (Woman of the Book) and she would like to marry a Muslim man and she does not want to change her religion.
They are both living in Singapore and I have been told that in Singapore because the Muslim relogion is not the dominant religion he cannot marry her unless she becomes a Muslim. Is this the case? If it is not, can they both be married in a Muslim wedding service even if my daughter remains a Christian and could the Muslim man also take part in a Christian wedding service after he has been married according to the Muslim tradition. 
I am sorry to submit such a long question but this issue is causing considerable difficulties in our family and I would like to have the correct Muslim law on this issue so I can resolve the problem with the least upset to all. I thank you in anticipation.

Praise be to Allaah.  

Islam does not prevent marriage to a Christian woman if she is chaste. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“…The food (slaughtered cattle, eatable animals) of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) is lawful to you and yours is lawful to them. (Lawful to you in marriage) are chaste women from the believers and chaste women from those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) before your time when you have given their due Mahr (bridal-money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage), desiring chastity (i.e. taking them in legal wedlock) not committing illegal sexual intercourse, nor taking them as girlfriends…”

[al-Maa’idah 5:5] 

What is meant by chaste women is that they are free (not slaves) and chaste (not loose or immoral). 

See also question no. 2527 

But if a woman is not chaste, and she has boyfriends or lovers with whom she is intimate, then Islam forbids marriage to her, whether she is a Muslim or a woman from among the People of the Book, just as it forbids marriage to a man who has girlfriends or lovers, to protect married life from collapse and to protect against mixing of lineages and to avoid causes of dispute, accusation and suspicion. 

With regard to the Muslim husband attending marriage parties according to the Christian tradition, this is not permissible because there will be many things in these celebrations that are forbidden in Islam, such as free mixing between men and women, listening to music, drinking alcohol, dancing etc. 

In the hadeeth the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever believes in Allaah and the Last Day, let him not sit at a table where wine is being drunk.” Narrated by Ahmad, 1/20; al-Bayhaqi, 7/366. Al-Albaani said in al-Irwa’, 7/6: it is saheeh.
We thank you for your noble feelings and this good attitude and your keenness to ask about the Islamic rulings on this matter. 

We ask Allaah to help you and guide you to the religion of Islam. Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds.

Meaning of the verse “then he should not have sexual relations (with his wife), nor commit sin, nor dispute unjustly during the Hajj”

What is the meaning of the verse (interpretation of the meaning):
  “The Hajj (pilgrimage) is (in) the well-known (lunar year) months (i.e. the 10th month, the 11th month and the first ten days of the 12th month of the Islamic calendar, i.e. two months and ten days). So whosoever intends to perform Hajj therein (by assuming Ihraam), then he should not have sexual relations (with his wife), nor commit sin, nor dispute unjustly during the Hajj.”
[al-Baqarah 2:197]?.

Praise be to Allaah.  

In this verse Allaah mentions some of the rulings and etiquette that have to do with Hajj. 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“The Hajj (pilgrimage) is (in) the well-known (lunar year) months” 

i.e., the time  for Hajj is the well-known months which are Shawwaal, Dhu’l-Qa’dah and the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah. Some of the scholars were of the view that the whole of Dhu’l-Hijjah is one of the months of Hajj. 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“So whosoever intends to perform Hajj therein” 

i.e., whoever enters ihraam for that, because when a person enters ihraam for Hajj, he has to complete it, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And perform properly (i.e. all the ceremonies according to the ways of Prophet Muhammad), the Hajj and ‘Umrah (i.e. the pilgrimage to Makkah) for Allaah”

[al-Baqarah 2:196] 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“then he should not have sexual relations (with his wife), nor commit sin, nor dispute unjustly during the Hajj” 

i.e., when he has entered ihraam for Hajj, he must respect it and protect it from everything that may spoil it or detract from it, of sexual relations, sin and argument. 

Rafath (translated here as sexual relations) means intercourse and everything that leads up to it of both words and deeds, such as kissing, speaking about intercourse and desire, etc. 

The word rafath is also used to refer to obscene speech. 

Fusooq (sin) means all kinds of disobedience and sin, such as disobeying one’s parents, severing ties of kinship, consuming riba, consuming orphans’ property, backbiting and gossiping, etc. It also includes the things that are forbidden during ihraam. 

Jidaal (dispute) means arguing and debating with no just basis. It is not permissible for the person who has entered ihraam for Hajj or ‘Umrah to argue with no basis. 

With regard to debating in a good manner in order to explain the truth, this is something that is enjoined by Allaah, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Invite (mankind, O Muhammad) to the way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Revelation and the Qur’aan) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better”

[al-Nahl 16:125] 

Although these things – obscene speech, sin and false arguments – are not allowed at any time or in any place, the prohibition is even more emphatic during Hajj, because the purpose of Hajj is to be humble before Allaah and to draw closer to Him by means of the acts of worship as much as possible, and to keep away from evil deeds. Thus one's Hajj will be accepted, and an accepted Hajj brings no less a reward than Paradise. 

We ask Allaah to help us to remember Him, give thanks to Him and to worship Him properly.

 And Allaah knows best.

 See Fath al-Baari, 3/382; Tafseer al-Sa’di, p. 125; Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 17/144.

Enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, and the verse, “Take care of your ownselves”

How can we refute, with strong and definitive evidence, those who quote the verse (interpretation of the meaning): “O you who believe! Take care of your ownselves” when they are enjoined to do that which is good and told not to do that which is evil?.

Praise be to Allaah.  

This verse from Soorat al-Maa'idah is one that is misunderstood by some people. They think that it means that it is not obligatory to enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, and they sometimes quote it to those who are enjoining them to do something good or telling them not to do something evil. 

In his commentary on the verse (interpretation of the meaning): 

“O you who believe! Take care of your ownselves. If you follow the (right) guidance [and enjoin what is right (Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do) and forbid what is wrong (polytheism, disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden)] no hurt can come to you from those who are in error”

[al-Maa’idah 5:105] 

The scholar Muhammad al-Ameen al-Shanqeeti said: 

The ignorant person may imagine, from the apparent meaning of this verse, that it is not obligatory to enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, but the same aayah also indicates that if a person does his best (to enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil), and there is no response, then this is what this verse refers to. That is where Allaah says “If you follow the (right) guidance”, because whoever does not enjoin what is good is not following right guidance. Those who said this include Hudhayfah and Sa’eed ibn al-Musayyib, as quoted by al-Aloosi in his Tafseer; Ibn Jareer, as quoted by al-Qurtubi from Sa’eed ibn al-Musayyib; and Abu ‘Ubayd al-Qaasim ibn Salaam. Ibn Jareer also quoted something similar from a group of the Sahaabah including Ibn ‘Umar and Ibn Mas’ood. 

Some of the scholars said that “If you follow the (right) guidance” means if you tell them but they do not listen; and some of them said that enjoining what is good is included in the meaning of guidance in this verse. This is very clear to any fair-minded person. 

Further evidence that the one who does not enjoin what is good is not following true guidance is the fact that Allaah swears that such a person is lost, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“By Al‑‘Asr (the time).

Verily, man is in loss,

Except those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth [i.e. order one another to perform all kinds of good deeds (Al‑Ma‘roof) which Allaah has ordained, and abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds (Al‑Munkar) which Allaah has forbidden], and recommend one another to patience (for the sufferings, harms, and injuries which one may encounter in Allaah’s Cause during preaching His religion of Islamic Monotheism or Jihad)”

[al-‘Asr 103:1-3] 

The truth of the matter is that it is obligatory to enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, and once he has done his duty, the one who enjoins good cannot be harmed by the misguidance of those who have gone astray. This is indicated by several verses such as (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And fear the Fitnah (affliction and trial) which affects not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong”

[al-Anfaal 8:25] 

and the ahaadeeth which indicate that if people do not enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, then Allaah will include them in His punishment. For example: 

It was narrated that Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “O people, you recite this verse (interpretation of the meaning): 

“O you who believe! Take care of your ownselves. If you follow the (right) guidance [and enjoin what is right (Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do) and forbid what is wrong (polytheism, disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden)] no hurt can come to you from those who are in error”

[al-Maa’idah 5:105] 

But I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, ‘If the people see an evildoer and do not take him by the hand [to put a stop to his evil], soon Allaah will punish all of them.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4338; al-Tirmidhi, 2168; and al-Nasaa’i – with a saheeh isnaad. Also classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, no. 2448. 

From Adwa’ al-Bayaan, 2/169. 

And Allaah knows best.

Meanings of the word fitnah in the Qur’aan

I see the word fitnah repeated often in the Qur’aan in several soorahs and aayahs. Is there a difference in the meanings of this word, and what are its various meanings?

Praise be to Allaah.  

Definition of fitnah: 

1 – The word fitnah from a linguistic point of view: 

Al-Azhari said: “The Arabic word fitnah includes meanings of testing and trial. The root is taken from the phrase fatantu al-fiddah wa’l-dhahab (I assayed (tested the quality of) the silver and gold), meaning I melted the metals to separate the bad from the good. Similarly, Allaah says in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning): ‘(It will be) a Day when they will be tried [yuftanoona] (punished, i.e. burnt) over the Fire!’ [al-Dhaariyaat 51:13], meaning, burning them with fire.” (Tahdheeb al-Lughah, 14/196). 

Ibn Faaris said: “Fa-ta-na is a sound root which indicates testing or trial.” (Maqaayees al-Lughah, 4/472). This is the basic meaning of the word fitnah in Arabic. 

Ibn al-Atheer said: “Fitnah: trial or test… The word is often used to describe tests in which something disliked is eliminated. Later it was also often used in the sense of sin, kufr (disbelief), fighting, burning, removing and diverting.” (al-Nihaayah, 3/410. Ibn Hajar said something similar in al-Fath, 13/3). 

Ibn al-A’raabi summed up the meanings of fitnah when he said: “Fitnah means testing, fitnah means trial, fitnah means wealth, fitnah means children, fitnah means kufr, fitnah means differences of opinion among people, fitnah means burning with fire.” (Lisaan al-‘Arab by Ibn Manzoor). 

2 – Meanings of the word fitnah in the Qur’aan and Sunnah: 

1-     Testing and trial, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: ‘We believe, and will not be tested [la yuftanoon]” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:2]

i.e., that they will not be subjected to trial, as Ibn Jareer said. 

2-     Blocking the way and turning people away, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“but beware of them lest they turn you [yaftinooka] (O Muhammad) far away from some of that which Allaah has sent down to you” [al-Maa’idah 5:49]

Al-Qurtubi said: this means blocking your way and turning you away.         

3-     Persecution, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“Then, verily, your Lord for those who emigrated after they had been put to trials [futinoo] and thereafter strove hard and fought (for the Cause of Allaah) and were patient, verily, your Lord afterward is, Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful” [al-Nahl 16:110]

Put to trial means persecuted. 

4-     Shirk and kufr, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and worshipping of others along with Allaah)” [al-Baqarah 2:193]

Ibn Katheer said: this means shirk (worshipping others besides Allaah). 

5-     Falling into sin and hypocrisy, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“(The hypocrites) will call the believers: “Were we not with you?” The believers will reply: “Yes! But you led yourselves into temptations [fatantum anfusakum], you looked forward for our destruction; you doubted (in Faith) and you were deceived by false desires” [al-Hadeed 57:14]

Al-Baghawi said: i.e., you made yourselves fall into hypocrisy and you destroyed yourselves by means of sin and whims and desires. 

6-     Confusing truth with falsehood, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“And those who disbelieve are allies of one another, (and) if you (Muslims of the whole world collectively) do not do so [i.e. become allies, as one united block under one Khaleefah (a chief Muslim ruler for the whole Muslim world) to make victorious Allaah’s religion of Islamic Monotheism], there will be Fitnah (wars, battles, polytheism) and oppression on the earth, and a great mischief and corruption (appearance of polytheism)”[al-Anfaal 6:73]

What this means is that “unless believers are taken as close friends instead of disbelievers, even if they are relatives, there will be fitnah on earth, i.e., truth will be confused with falsehood.” This is how it is explained in Jaami’ al-Bayaan by Ibn Jareer. 

7-     Misguidance, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“And whomsoever Allaah wants to put in Al‑Fitnah (error, because of his rejecting of Faith), you can do nothing for him against Allaah” [al-Maa'idah 5:41]

The meaning of fitnah here is misguidance. Al-Bahr al-Muheet by Abu Hayaan, 4/262. 

8-     Killing and taking prisoners, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“if you fear that the disbelievers may put you in trial [yaftinakum] (attack you)”

[al-Nisa’ 4:101]

This refers to the kaafirs attacking the Muslims whilst they are praying and prostrating, in order to kill them or take them prisoner, as stated by Ibn Jareer. 

9-     Difference among people and lack of agreement, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“and they would have hurried about in your midst (spreading corruption) and sowing sedition among you [yabghoonakum al-fitnah]” [al-Tawbah 9:47]

i.e., they would have stirred up differences amongst you, as it says in al-Kashshaaf, 2/277. 

10-Insanity, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“Which of you is afflicted with madness (maftoon)” [al-Qalam 68:6] Here it means madness. 

11-Burning with fire, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, those who put into trial [fatanoo] the believing men and believing women (by torturing them and burning them)”[al-Burooj 85:10]

Ibn Hajar said: the meaning may be understood from the context. (al-Fath 11/176) 

Note: 

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: With regard to the “fitnah” which Allaah attributes to Himself or which His Messenger attributes to Him, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning), ‘Thus We have tried [fatannaa] some of them with others’ [al-An’aam 6:53] and the words of Moosa, ‘It is only Your trial [fitnatuka] by which You lead astray whom You will’ [al-A’raaf 7:155 – interpretation of the meaning], that carries a different meaning, which is a test or trial from Allaah to His slaves by means of good things and bad, blessings and calamities. This is one thing; the fitnah of the mushrikeen is another thing; the fitnah or trial of the believer by means of his wealth, children and neighbour is another thing; the fitnah (tribulation, differences) that happen amongst the Muslims, like the fitnah that happened between the supporters of ‘Ali and Mu’awiyah, and between him and the people of the camel, and between Muslims when they fight one another or boycott one another, is another thing. (Zaad al-Ma’aad, vol. 3, p. 170).

What are the things that Allaah taught to Adam?

What are the things that Allaah taught to Adam?

Praise be to Allaah.

Imaam Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his Tafseer (1/256, ed. by Abu Ishaaq al-Juwayni), commenting on the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “And He taught Adam all the names (of everything)…” [al-Baqarah 2:31]

“The correct view is that He taught him the names of all things, what they are, and their qualities, right down to the noiseless fart, i.e., the names and qualities of all things, great and small. Thus al-Bukhaari said in his commentary on this aayah in Kitaab al-Tafseer in his Saheeh, and Ibn Katheer mentioned al-Bukhaari’s isnaad from Anas, that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The believers will assemble on the Day of Resurrection and will say, ‘Let us ask somebody to intercede for us with our Lord.’ So they will go to Adam and say, ‘You are the father of all the people. Allaah created you with His own Hands, and ordered the angels to prostrate to you, and taught you the names of all things…’” This indicates that Allaah taught him the names of all created things, which is why He then said (interpretation of the meaning): “… then He showed them to the angels” [al-Baqarah 2:31] – i.e., the objects whose names He had taught to Adam.”

Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar listed various opinions on this topic in al-Fath (8/10), where he said, “There was some dispute as to the meaning of the ‘names.’ It was suggested that this referred to the names of his offspring, or the names of the angels, or the names of the different species – without going into details, or the names of everything on earth, or the names of all things, even a platter.”

Imaam al-Shawkaani said in Fath al-Qadeer (1/64): “The ‘names’ are phrases or expressions, and what is meant is the names of the objects whose names Allaah taught him. This is the opinion of the majority of scholars, and this is the true meaning of the word ism (name). This is confirmed by the word all (all the names), which indicates that He taught him all the names and did not omit anything, no matter what it was.”

And Allaah knows best.

Tafseer of the aayah (interpretation of the meaning)And Allaah will never lead a people astray …” [al-Tawbah 9:115]

I hope that you can explain to us the meaning of the aayah (interpretation of the meaning)And Allaah will never lead a people astray after He has guided them until He makes clear to them as to what they should avoid. Verily, Allaah is the All-Knower of everything” [al-Tawbah 9:115]

Praise be to Allaah. 

Allaah says, describing His noble Self and His just Wisdom, that He does not lead people astray except after His Message has reached them, and proof has been established against them, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And as for Thamood, We showed and made clear to them the Path of Truth (Islamic Monotheism) through Our Messenger (i.e. showed them the way of success), but they preferred blindness to guidance” [Fussilat 41:17]

 According to another view on the interpretation of this aayah, Mujaahid said concerning the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“And Allaah will never lead a people astray after He has guided them” [al-Tawbah 9:115] . This aayah refers to the issue of believers praying for forgiveness for the mushrikeen in particular. Allaah has made clear the ruling on this matter, it becomes a sin, so it is their choice whether they do it or not.

 Ibn Jareer said: Allaah is saying that He would not decree misguidance for them as a result of their seeking forgiveness for their dead mushrik relatives, after He had guided them and given them faith in Him and His Messenger, until He had told them of the prohibition so that they would desist. But before He explained that this is not allowed, if you did that, He would not decree that you would be led astray because of that. For obedience and disobedience have to do with commands and prohibitions, but with regard to matters that have not been commanded or prohibited, no one can be considered to be obedient or disobedient.

Delay in saying In sha Allaah

Is it permissible for a person, if he forgot to say “In sha Allaah” to say it after a long time has elapsed?

Praise be to Allaah.  

Al-Shanqeeti (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And remember your Lord when you forget”[al-Kahf 18:24] 

There are two well-known scholarly views concerning this aayah: 

One of which is that this aayah is connected to that which comes before it, and it means that if you say, “Tomorrow I will do such and such” but you forget to say “in sha Allaah”, then after that you remember, you should say “in sha Allah”. In other words, remember your Lord, connecting everything with His will concerning what you want to do tomorrow, when you remember after having forgotten. This is the apparent meaning, because it is what is indicated by the preceding aayah (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And never say of anything, ‘I shall do such and such thing tomorrow’” [al-Kahf 18:23] 

This is the view of the majority, and among those who expressed this view were Ibn ‘Abbaas, al-Hasan al-Basri, Abu’l-‘Aaliyah and others.