08
Sep 2023
Food of People of the Book There is some confusion in people’s minds over whether it is permissible for Muslims to consume the food of the People of the Book (Jews and Christians). This is due to the two different ayahs in the Quran. One saying that the food of the People of the Book is permissible and the second which says do not eat food over which Allah’s name has not been pronounced. The ayah that shows the food is permissible is: ٱلْيَوْمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتُ ۖ وَطَعَامُ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ......
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28
Jun 2021
In all the Abrahamic faiths it is documented that pork is forbidden. Certain groups within the Jewish and Christian faiths have chosen to drop this food rule, saying that it is no longer necessary. The question arises, do we follow a divine rule because of the wisdom behind the command or because it is a command? If one decides they know the reason behind a command, they can dispense with the command when they feel the command is no longer fulfilling that reason. If the reason for not eating pork is that......
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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......
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23
May 2021
Mughira ibn Shu’ba (may Allah be please with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The Prophet (peace be on him) said, “Allah has forbidden you to be undutiful to your mothers, to withhold (what you should give) or demand (what you do not deserve), and to bury your daughters alive. And Allah has disliked that you talk too much about others, ask too many questions (in religion), or waste your property.” (Bukhari) In this hadith, Allah Almighty made the following haram: being disrespectful to mothers refusing to pay others......
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20
May 2021
It is not permissible for a Muslim to keep a dog in their home as a pet. It was narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) and others in similar wordings, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Whoever keeps a dog that is not a dog for hunting, herding livestock or farming, two qirats will be deducted from his reward each day. (Muslim and Bukhari) This means that keeping a dog results in good deeds being deducted from your account. We......
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05
May 2021
Many people consider Valentine’s Day to be haram. This is generally based on an emotional assumption. As Valentine’s Day is part of Western Culture and Islamically we do not have a day when people express love, it is assumed that this must be haram. However in order to call something haram you need evidence. You cannot label something haram based on emotions. To give something a haram label is serious matter. It means that the one who does that is sinful and punishable. Imitating non-Muslims One might argue that Valentine’s Day is......
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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......
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19
Jan 2021
Ibn ’Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said: He who imitates any people is considered to be one of them. (Abu Dawud and Ibn Hibban) Though this hadith is just one line, it has generated a huge amount of discussion among scholars. How not to imitate the people of hellfire Living in the West, we are surrounded by many common customs which are not from Islam, such as birthday parties, and other secular celebrations such as New Years, or exchanging greetings,......
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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......
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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......
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16
Nov 2020
Is it permissible to consume a small quantity as it is not intoxicating? It is not allowed to consume alcohol even in small quantities, including confectionery, or in meals that are cooked with alcohol, as the alcohol does not all evaporate, including in dishes which are flambé, as the alcohol remains after it has been set alight. That which intoxicates in large quantities is prohibited in small quantities. (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah) The results of the study carried out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Nutrient Data Laboratory, published by the......
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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......
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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......
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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......
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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. ......
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