557. Is Working In Bank Allowed?

By Asma bint Shameem 

Working in a conventional bank is not allowed because the whole system runs on interest. 

And working in any department of the bank would be “assisting” in this major sin, while Allaah is telling us to cooperate in goodness and not in sin 

وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ

“Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. 

And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is Severe in punishment.”

 (Surah al-Ma’edah:2)

And Allaah says:

مَّن يَشْفَعْ شَفَاعَةً حَسَنَةً يَكُن لَّهُ نَصِيبٌ مِّنْهَا وَمَن يَشْفَعْ شَفَاعَةً سَيِّئَةً يَكُن لَّهُ كِفْلٌ مِّنْهَا وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُّقِيتًا

“Whosoever intercedes for a good cause will have the reward thereof, and whosoever intercedes for an evil cause will have a share in its burden. And Allah is Ever All-Able to do (and also an All-Witness to) everything.“

(Surah an-Nisaa:85)

Jaabir radhi Allaahu anhu said:

“The Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam CURSED ten people: the one who consumes ribaa, the one who pays ribaa, the one who writes it down, the two who witness it, the one who makes it lawful, the one for whom it is made lawful...” (Saheeh Muslim)

The scholars of the Standing Committee said:

“It is not permissible for a Muslim to work as a guard for banks that deal with riba, because this is a kind of cooperating in sin and transgression, and Allaah has forbidden that. Most of the banks deal with riba, so you have to look for a halaal means of earning a living, not this way.”

(Fataawa Islamiyyah, 2/401, 402)

And Allaah knows best

556. Is All Seafood Halal? What About Shrimps And Sharks?

By Asma bint Shameem 

In determining whether something is halaal or haraam to consume, the principle of the Sharee’ah is that unless the thing is mentioned in the Qur’aan and/or authentic ahaadeeth as something forbidden, it is considered HALAAL for us to consume. 

So we can’t say something is disallowed to consume unless there’s PROOF of that from the Sharee’ah. 

Allaah says.

“So eat of the sustenance which Allaah has provided for you, lawful and good; and be grateful for the favors of Allaah,  if it is He whom you serve. 

He has only forbidden you: dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and any (meat) over which the name of other than Allaah has been invoked. 

But if one is forced by necessity without willful disobedience nor transgressing due limits,then Allaah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful. 

But say not for any false thing that your tongues may put forth "This is lawful and this is forbidden" so as to ascribe false things to Allaah.   

For those who ascribe false things to Allaah will never prosper.”

(Surah Nahl: 114-116)

Thus, when we look at the Qur’aan and authentic ahaadeeth, we see that ALL seafood is *halaal*. 

Allaah says:

“It is He (Allaah) Who has subjected the sea to your service so that you may get fresh flesh from it to eat and bring out of it articles of ornaments,  which you wear.”  (Surah an-Nahl:14)

And He says: 

“Lawful to you is (the pursuit of) water-game and its use for food – for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel…” [al-Maa’idah 5:96]. 

Ibn ‘Abbaas explained the above Aayah and said: 

“ Sayduhu (lit. hunting, pursuit) refers to whatever is taken from it alive, and ta’aamuhu (lit. its food) means whatever is taken dead.”

Umar ibn al-Khattaab radhi Allaahu anhu said: 

“Water game means what is hunted, and its food is what the sea throws out (onto the shore).” (al-Bukhaari) 

Shurayh radhi Allaahu anhu said:

“Everything in the sea is madhbooh (slaughtered).” (al-Bukhaari) 

Abu Hurairah radhi Allaahu anhu said that a man asked the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam:

"O Messenger of Allaah, we sail on the ocean and we carry only a little water.  If we use it for ablution, we will have to go thirsty. 

May we use sea water for ablution?"

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

"Its (the sea) water is pure and (even) its dead (animals) are lawful (i.e., they can be eaten without any prescribed slaughtering)." (al-Bukhaari) 

 

Shaikh Salih al-Munajjid said:

“ALL kinds of food from the sea are permissible, whether they are plants or animals, alive or dead.”

This proves that ALL types sea food are halaal, whether it’s crabs, prawns, shrimps, fish eggs, even sharks and whales; ANYTHING that predominantly lives in the sea.

However, if there’s something that’s *harmful* for us to consume, then obviously we shouldn’t eat it and it’s forbidden for us, irrespective of whether it comes from the sea or land. 

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

“There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm” (Ibn Maajah- saheeh by al-Albaani)”

So say Alhamdulillaah and eat from the sea, what you like. 

And ENJOY the blessings of your Rabb. 

‎فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

“Which then of the bounties of your Lord will you deny?”

 And Allaah knows best

555. Can A Woman Teach A man In Person?

By Asma bint Shameem 

But if it’s online, and all the guidelines of Hijaab are followed, then the scholars say that it may be permissible for a person to teach the opposite gender if certain conditions are strictly followed. 

For example, there should be no khalwah or 

one-on-one interaction, no chance of fitnah (temptation), no unnecessary talking, joking or laughing etc. 

Also it’s not allowed for a female to read Qur’aan to a male teacher. 

That’s because although the voice of a woman itself is not awrah, the recitation would not be allowed because when she would recite the Qur’aan to him, she would beautify her voice and soften it. 

And that is not allowed. 

The scholars of the Standing Committee said:

“The woman’s voice is not ‘awrah in principle, for women used to complain to the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam and ask him about Islaamic matters. 

They also did that with the Rightly-Guided Khaleefahs (may Allaah be pleased with them) and the rulers after them. 

And they would greet non-mahram men with salaams and return greetings, and none of the Imaams of Islaam denounced them for that. 

But it is not permissible for a woman to speak in a soft or alluring voice, because Allaah says:

“O wives of the Prophet! You are not like any other women. If you keep your duty (to Allaah), then be not soft in speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease (of hypocrisy, or evil desire for adultery) should be moved with desire, but speak in an honorable manner”

[al-Ahzaab 33:32] because men may be tempted by that, as is indicated by this aayah.” 

(Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Iftaa, 6/83). 

So when a woman “talks” to a nonmahram, it’s allowed to do so. 

However, she should not do that unnecessarily; she should keep her voice straight and firm yet polite, and not laugh or make her voice soft.

And that includes reading the Qur’aan in a melodious voice. 

So a woman may learn Qur’aan from a man if there’s no chance of fitnah and she’s not alone one on one with him and there are no female teachers available. 

However the scholars say that she can only “listen” to him and learn the rules, etc but she can not recite back the Qur’aan to him because that would be awrah. 

Kamaal al-Deen al-Siyoowaasi said:

“It is clearly stated in al-Nawaazil that the voice of a woman with a *“tune”* is ‘awrah. 

Based on that, for a woman to learn Qur’aan from a *woman* is better, in my opinion, than her learning Qur’aan from a BLIND man, because her voice with a tune is ‘awrah. 

Therefore the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said: 

“Tasbeeh is for men and clapping is for women.” It is not right for a man to hear her.” 

[Sharh Fath al-Qadeer (1/260)]

Therefore, it’s best for a woman to learn with a female teacher and for a man to learn with a male. 

And Allaah knows best

554. Is It Haraam To Actively Listen To Music

By Asma bint Shameem 

If you’re can avoid going there, that’s best. 

But if you “must” go because it’s your relatives etc, then attend only for a short while and leave as soon as possible. 

If the music is playing in the background and we’re not paying attention to it, then we’re not sinful because we’re not “enjoying” it or deliberately “listening” to it. 

Naafi‘, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar radhi Allaahu anhumaa 

said: 

“Ibn ‘Umar heard the sound of a flute and he put his fingers in his ears and turned  his mount away from the road and said to me: 

O Naafi‘, can you hear anything? 

I said: 

Yes. 

And he carried on until I said: 

No. 

Then he took his fingers out of his ears, brought his mount back to the road and said: 

I saw the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam 

when he heard the sound of a flute and did something like this.”

(Abu Dawood (4924); saheeh by al-Albaani)

Ibn Taymiyah said:

“The prohibition only has to do with “listening”, not “hearing”. 

Hence if a man passes by people who are engaging in some prohibited kind of talk, he is not obliged to block his ears, but he should not listen unnecessarily. 

Hence the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam did not instruct Ibn ‘Umar to block his ears when he heard the shepherd’s flute, because he was not listening to it; rather he was merely hearing it.”

[Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa (11/630)]

And he said:

“Commands and prohibitions only have to do with what a person does deliberately; with regard to whatever happens without him choosing to do so, there is no command or prohibition having to do with that.” [Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa (11/566, 567)]

And Allaah knows best

553. Changing Intentions While Offering Salaah

By Asma bint Shameem 

QUESTION

I started praying Fardh of Fajr then I remembered that I had not prayed the Sunnah. 

Can I change my intention from Fardh to Sunnah after I’ve already started the Fardh prayer?

ANSWER

Once you start your fardh prayer, you cannot change the intention to pray the Sunnah. 

Why is that?

That’s because the fardh prayer and the Sunnah prayer, *both* are *specific* prayers. 

And it’s not allowed to change the intention of a “specific” act of ibaadah after beginning it, to another “specific” ibaadah. 

The *intention* to pray the *specific* prayer should be made *BEFORE* starting it. 

So since the Fardh of Fajr and the two Sunnah before it, are both “*specific*” prayers, you cannot change your intention. 

Similarly if you start praying the Sunnah of Dhuhr, and the Imaam begins the congregation for the Fardh, you cannot simply change your intention of your Sunnah prayer to Fardh in the middle of the prayer. 

That’s because the Sunnah of Dhuhr and the Fardh are  *“specific”* prayers. And the intention for each should be there from the very beginning. 

HOWEVER, you *can* change the intention of a “specific” act of ibaadah to a “general” act even after you have started the general act of Ibaadah. 

So for example if you started praying Fajr then realized you’ve already prayed it, then you can change your intention to a Nafl prayer while you’re praying. 

Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen explains about changing the intention:

He said:

“Changing the intention means either changing it from one “specific” thing to another (“specific”), or from something “general” to something “specific”. 

This is not correct, but if it is changing it from something “specific” to something “general”, then there is nothing wrong with that. 

For example: 

Changing from one specific thing to another (specific thing):

A person wanted to change the Sunnah prayer of Duhaa to the regular prayer of Fajr which he had missed and wanted to make up. 

He said takbeer with the intention of offering two rak’ahs of Duhaa, then he remembered that he had not offered the regular prayer of Fajr, so he changed it to the regular prayer of Fajr. 

This is not valid, because the regular prayer of Fajr is two rak'ahs for which he should have had the intention from the beginning of the prayer. 

Another example is a man who started to pray ‘Asr, but whilst praying he remembered that he had not prayed Dhuhr, so he intended this prayer to be Dhuhr. 

This is also not valid, because the intention for a specific prayer must be there from the outset. 

With regard to changing from something *“general”* to something *“specific”*, such as if a person started to offer a general (i.e., naafil) prayer, then he remembered that he had not prayed Fajr or the Sunnah of Fajr, so he changed his intention to Fajr prayer or the Sunnah of Fajr – this is also not valid. 

But if he changes from something *“specific”* to something *general*, such as if he starts praying with the intention that it is the regular prayer of Fajr, then whilst he is praying he remembers that he has already offered this prayer, in that case he may change his original intention to the intention to simply offer a (Nafl) prayer. 

Another example is that of a man who starts to offer an obligatory prayer on his own, then a group comes along, and he wants to change his obligatory prayer to a naafil prayer so that he may cut it short and offer two rak'ahs only, then offer the obligatory prayer with the group. 

This is permissible, because he is changing from something “specific” to something “general”. 

So the principle is: 

-Changing from one “specific” thing to another (“specific”) is not valid; 

-changing from something “general” to something “specific” is not valid; 

-changing from something “specific” to something “general”is valid.”

(Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 12/ Question no. 347.)

Also The niyyah for a “SPECIFIC” act of ibaadah cannot be changed *after* you’ve done with that act of worship. 

So if you gave money to someone as sadaqah, you cannot change  your niyyah later that it’s Zakaah because it’s already left your hand. 

But if you were *thinking* of giving this money as sadaqah, and the money had not yet left your hand, and then you changed your mind to intend this as Zakaah, BEFORE you gave the money, then in that situation you can change your mind.

And Allaah knows best.