18
Jun 2021

What to avoid as a guest In Imam Ghazali’s Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, The 40 Principles of the Religion, he has a chapter on kesab, (earning) and on doubtful earnings. In this he explores the mentality of those who refuse to eat anything as they are suspicious of its origins and whether it is halal, and those who will eat everything. How do you know if what you have been offered is halal and permissible to eat? How much do you need to know about your host’s source of income in......
Read More
25
Jan 2021

Are photos haram? The permissibility of photography is a matter of disagreement among scholars. There are two camps and we can see why this has arisen by looking at the main hadith and how they derived their conclusions. Context of the prohibition It is important to understand the context in which the Quran and sunnah were sent. Islam came to a community steeped in idolatry. It came to wipe out the worship of idols and statues which was prevalent in Arabia, and also by this time, the message of monotheism which had......
Read More
29
Nov 2020

The hadith on pictures وعن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت: قدم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من سفر وقد سترت سهوة لى بقرام فيه تماثيل، فلما رآه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم هتكه وتلون وجهه وقال: “يا عائشة: أشد الناس عذابا عند الله يوم القيامة الذين يضاهون بخلق الله” ((متفق عليه)). ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) returned once from a journey, and saw a curtain which I had hung along a platform with some pictures on it. The......
Read More
29
Nov 2020

Is it haram to celebrate birthdays? Birthday parties are not haram in themselves. There is nothing haram about celebrating the day someone was born, as long as that celebration does not involve doing anything prohibited, for instance serving alcohol or having inappropriately revealing clothes. Birthdays are not related to worship or belief It is a common misconception among Muslims that birthdays are haram because they are imitating non Muslims. They usually quote the hadith of Ibn ’Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) who narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be......
Read More
03
Oct 2020

Many people wonder if gelatine is halal. It is not only present in many sweets and deserts but also in medicines, including the nasal flu vaccine. The ‘no’ camp There is a difference of opinion among scholars. Imams Shafi’, Maliki and Hanbali held that once something is impure then it is always impure. The ‘yes’ camp The Hanafi school of thought says that if the state of a substance has changed, then the impure becomes pure. An example of where an impure substance becomes pure is vinegar which is derived from fermented......
Read More
27
Sep 2020

Is gelatine halal? Many people are asking if they can let their children have the nasal flu vaccine as it contains porcine gelatine? The nasal vaccine Each year, the influenza virus, the flu, causes illness, time off work, hospital admissions and deaths. This year, with the Coronavirus pandemic, it is even more important to ensure we look after ourselves and take the flu vaccine if eligible. According to nhs.uk:Flu vaccination is important because: if you’re at higher risk from coronavirus, you’re also more at risk of problems from flu, if you get......
Read More
20
Jan 2020

The halal and haram are clear (bayyin) The Prophet (peace be on him) made it very clear what is halal and haram. Clarity was his trademark. Hence Allah Almighty said: ‘We never sent a messenger but in the language of his own people to clarify the truth for them.’ (14:4) Clarity is key. As the road map for every Muslim in this life has to be clear, knowing what is halal and haram has been clearly defined for us. The list of what is haram is not long at all. It is......
Read More
17
Jan 2020

Imaan is a full package. Either you accept the package or you fall out of the fold of imaan. This is why in Surah Baqarah we are told not to distinguish between any of the Messengers of Allah: The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, , ‘We make no distinction between any of His messengers.’ And they say, ‘We hear and we obey. ......
Read More
02
Jul 2019

Where’s the halal? ‘…They say trade is but like riba,’ while Allah has permitted trade, and prohibited riba. So, whoever receives an advice from his Lord and desists (from indulging in riba), then what has passed is allowed for him, and his matter is up to Allah… (2:275) No good is there in much of their private conversation, except for those who enjoin charity or that which is right or reconciliation between people. And whoever does that seeking means to the approval of Allah Almighty – then We are going to give......
Read More
30
Sep 2018

What do I need to know about Rizq? We spend our lives chasing our rizq. Trying to make ends meet, to increase our wealth and spending it. What do we need to keep in mind? The Prophet (peace be on him) said, ‘Oh people, nothing makes you closer to Allah Almighty, and closer to jannah and further from hell than what I have commanded you to do. And there’s nothing that makes you close to hell and further from jannah than what I have forbade you to do. (Bayhaqqi) The Messenger of......
Read More
11
Jun 2018

Allah the Almighty says in the Qur’an: ‘It is He who created for you all that is on the earth.’ And in another verse He says: ‘It is He who made the earth manageable for you.’ And in another verse Allah the Almighty says: ‘For God’s favours to them during their summer and winter journeys,’. And then He said: ‘and Allah permitted sale and forbade riba’. Thus there are plenty of verses in the Qur’an which talk about doing business in the ways in which Allah the Almighty has permitted. Halal......
Read More