Your Questions Answered (volume 5)

Q. 90: Looking At Woman Not Observing Hijam

On reading "Your Questions Answered'. I came to a part in which you have stated that a Muslim could watch a film provided:

(a) it had no music (b) It was not immoral and (c) it didn't have dancing in it.

What about the namahram women we see in it who are unveiled? A. The face of those ghair-mahram women may be looked at who do not observe rules of hijab-provided that look is not with lust.

Q. 91: HIJAB BEFORE MALE SERVANTS

Why is it necessary for a woman to wear hijab in front of her male slave? Does he not have the similar instincts and feelings of a human being that he should be allowed on the beauty of his mistress? Does a women have to wear hijab in front of her servants? A. Women are not allowed to remove hijab in front of those male servants who might be having even a little bit of lust. Qur'an clearly says "they are not obligated to observe hijab before only those male servants who have no need of women" (see Sura an-Nur,ayat 31).

Q. 92: ABOUT MUSIC

We have a few tapes that our brothers got from Iran. The tapes are full with chants supported by drums, which is definitely a musical instrument and also I heard other supportive instruments?" (The above question was asked from a Caribbean country. Another brother asked from another country):

I have seen a programme on Iran in which there is a scene which shows the Iranians acting out the tragedy of Kerbala during Moharram/Safar. During the show, music is constantly being played. Is this allowed in the Islamic shari'ah A. The law about music, according to Ayatullah al-Khoui, is as follows:-

Music is haram... doing it as well as listening to it or earning by it. It does not mean merely good voice, but it is prolongation of voice with variation of tune and crescendo in a particular charming way (as is found in the gatherings of lahv and pleasure parties) and the musical instruments.

It makes no difference even if the words sung are haqq (right, true) like recital of the Qur'an, du'a, Marthiyah etc.; rather his punishment will be increased if he uses music in things (like Qur'an etc.) which are intended for obedience of Allah Ta'ala.

Of course, some ('ulama) have made exception of singing of singer women in marriages, and this (exception) is not far (from truth), but Ihtiyat should not be abandoned and it should be restricted to the (occasion of) sending the bride (to her bridegroom) and to the gathering related to it before or after that sending off. Rather it is ahwat to avoid it in all cases.

Ayatullah al-Khoui has further explained that only that music is unlawful which has affinity i.e. relation and connection with "lahw" and "la'ib" i.e. vain amusement and merry-making. While on this subject, I should mention two more exceptions to this general rule:

  1. Hudi, a song sung by camel-drivers, the effect of which was to increase the camel's speed.

  2. Military band, used for soldiers' march while training or fighting etc. But as hudi was restricted to that particular occasion, likewise military band is restricted to the soldiers who are actually fighting or training or are marching with it. Other people are not allowed to listen to it.

You should never forget that actions of ghair-ma'sumeen are not the criterion of religion. We must appreciate that the Islamic government of Iran is trying to establish Islamic system in various fields of life: economy, spcial ordr, government departments etc. But we cannot expect them to attain to their goal at once. We should not expect them to undo the misdeeds of taqhuti regime in 4 or 5 years.

Do not forget that two or three generations of Iranis had been brought up in un-islamic ways. Can all of them become truly pious overnight? The Islamic government has started on the right path and is going in the right direction. Let us hope and pray that they succeed in their endeavours.

Q. 93: WHY 'MUSIC IS NOT FORBIDDEN BY NAME IN THE QUR'AN?

Why isn't it straightforward in the Qur'an about the evil of music but is indirectly put? How come there is not straight forward ayat which clarifies that 'Ali ibn Abi Taalib is the successor of the Prophet and that 12 Imams will follow him right to the end until Al-Mahdi (a.s.). A. Here is a hadith from Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) which fully answers your question:

Once the Imam (a.s.) said that the verse, "O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those vested with authority from among you" (4:59), was revealed about 'Ali ibn Abu Talib, al-Hassan and al-Husayn (a.s.). Hearing this, someone said: "People say, 'Why did Allah not mention the names of 'Ali and his family in His Book?"'

The Imam answered: "Tell them that there came the command of Salaat (prayer), but Allah did not mention whether three or four rak'at (units) (to be performed); it was the Apostle of Allah who explained all the details. And (the command of) Zakat was revealed, but Allah did not say that it is one in every forty dirham; it was the Apostle of Allah who explained it; and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) was ordered but Allah did not say to perform Tawaf (circumambulation of the Ka'bah) seven times-the Apostle of Allah explained it.

Likewise the verse was revealed: "Obey Allah,, and obey the Apostle and those vested with authority from among you," and it; was revealed about 'Ali and Hassan and Hussain (a.s.)." As for music, the words "lahw" and "zur" are comprehensive and they cover several forbidden things including music. You should not take the Qur'anic words in the meanings they are used for in Gujarati and Urdu, or even in modern Arabic. They have to be taken in the meanings they were used for 1400 years earlier.

Q. 94: WOMEN SINGING AT MARRIAGE CEREMONIES

You explained your answer quite clearly. However I would like to know whether the following is what you mean to say: "Having a woman sing at a marriage with music, in front of men, is allowed according to the laws of the Shari'ah? A. No. Her voice should not reach "namahram"; and not with musical instruments; also the song should not be obscene.

Q. 95: MUSIC IN MARTHIYA

It is widely accepted that instrumental music is haram. Is It also haram to sing an English pop song, to hum the tune of a 'marsiya', to listen to a namahram's voice reciting a munajaat/majlis or song (in a film for example), to listen to a bird singing, to listen to war music and also to listen to the rythm of a hammer blended in with the monotonous sawing of wood at a construction site, for example?

A. Vocal music too is prohibited. It means "the sound which is prolonged with variation of tune and crescendo, as is recognised as music by irreligious people." In other words, music is that sound which irreligious people accept as music.

It makes no difference whether it is in marthiyah or Qur'an. (In fact reciting Qur'an or marthiyah/nawha with music Is double haram). Bird's chirping is not called "singing"; and reciting anything in good melodious voice (without crossing the limit mentioned above) is lawful and good. Hearing ghair-mahram's voice is not prohibited, provided it does not create any "mischief', or is not accompanied by lust.

Q. 96: WATCHING TV PROGRAMMES

Concerning TV., what do you recommend that we watch only the news, documentary shows and positive movies? Or totally abstain? A. There is no need of totally abstaining from T.V. You may watch news, documentary and educational films and the programmes having positive values-provided it is not polluted with obscene scenes or language.

Q. 97: SONG FOR ISLAMIC PROPAGATION

Can one listen to a song that has a clear message, and it opposes wrong in the society, which is technically a da'wah through music? Is the law rigid and firm? Or is there some flexibility for music that has a message?

A. I think the reply should be clear from the explanations given above. The booklet, "Music and Its Effects", is a good writing by our late Chairman, Haji Ahmad Hussein Sheriff. Yet I would like to add a chapter on the above-mentioned exceptions with some details

Q. 98: WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT ISLAM

I want to know more about Islam. Where can I get such knowledge? A. You may contact the Bilal Muslim Mission for Books.You may also enroll yourself in one of our Correspondence Courses. There are courses for higher and junior grades.The junior courses are available in English and Swahili languages. The English one is called Islamic Religious Course (IRC, in short), and the Swahili one is named Masomo Ya Ki-lslamu Kwa Njia ya Posta (MYK, in short).

The higher grade course is called "Islamic Correspondence Course" (ICC, in short). It is available in English only.

Q. 99: BOOKS WRITTEN BY YOU

How many books have you written to date? Will you be kind enough to write for me a subject-wise list?

A. I suppose you need only the list of my English books. Urdu and Arabic writings would not be of any interest to you. With each book, I am writing brief details of its publication and also its translations. The main publishers' names have been abridged as follows: BMT = Bilal Muslim Mission of Tanzania, Dar es Salaam BMK = Bilal Muslim Mission of Kenya, Mombasa WOFIS = World Organisation For Islamic Services,Tehran VIEF = Vancouver Islamic Education Foundation,Canada PET = Peermohamed Ebrahim Trust, Karachi

A) Tafsir of the Holy Qur'an

1-8) Tafsir al-Mizan, Vol. 1 to 8. Translation, from Arabic, of the Tafsir al-Mizan of Late 'Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn at-Tabataba'i. Seven volumes have been published; 8th is under print. (WOFIS).

  1. Tafsir al-Bayan, Translation, from Arabic, of the Tafsir of the same name of Ayatullah' Sayyid Abul Qasim al-Khoui. (Not complete yet)

B) Fundamentals of Faith

  1. Qur'an and Hadith: Repeatedly published by BMT and BMK.

  2. Islam: At least 17 editions have been published by BMT, BMK, WOFIS and a Manchester (U.K.) Association.

Its Swahili translation has been published several times by BMT and BMK. WOFIS has prepared and published its translations in Japanese, Thai, Italian and Hausa. They also have translations ready in French, Burmese and Indonesian.

  1. Need of Religion: Published repeatedly by BMT and BMK. Its Swahili translation, Haja ya Dini, has been published several times by them.

  2. God of Islam: Published at least 15 times by BMT, BMK and WOFIS. Its Swahili translation published several times by BMT and BMK. Translations in French and Thai prepared by WOFIS. Urdu, Hindi and Gujarat] translations published as serials by the Al-Waiz, Lucknow, and the Tawheed (Hindi ed.) Lucknow.

  3. Justice of God: More than four editions by BMT and BMK. Its revised edition is ready for printing by BMT and the Muslim Foundation, New Jersey, U.S.A. Swahili translation printed by BMT.

  4. Prophethood: Several editions printed by BMT and BMK. Swahili translation also published by BMT.

  5. Imamate: At least nine editions published by BMT, BMK and WOFIS. Its revised, enlarged and annotated edition published by WOFIS in 1987, and reprinted by BMT.

Its Urdu translation has been published by Tablighat-e-lmani (Bombay) on the occasion of the celebration of the 14th century of al-Ghadeer. SwahL'i, translation under preparation by BMT.

  1. Day of Judgement: Three editions published by BMT and BMK. Urdu translation is being checked.

  2. What A Muslim Should Know And Believe: First edition published in 1988 by BMT. Swahili translation published by BMT in 1989. C) Fiqh

  3. Elements of Islamic Studies: More than eight editions published by BMT, BMK, London and the Muslim Foundation (U. S.A.).

Its Swahil! translation published several times by BMT. Swedish translation published by VIEF, and Sindhi one published by Ma'arif-e-lslam Foundation, Karachi, both in 1990. Reportedly its Portuguese translation is almost ready. 20. Fast: Published several times by BMT.

  1. Islamic Laws: Contains detailed laws of marriage, dissolution of marriage, will, inheritance, acknowledgement and waqf. (Now out of stock).

  2. Pork: Published more than ten times by BMT, WOFIS, BMK and Pakistan, WOFIS has distributed it throughout the world.They have also published its French and It Jmesian translations. French version also printed by some Muslims in Paris,Persian translation prepared and published by Mr. Muham- madi Reyshahri, Tehran. Swahili translation published repeatedly by BMT.

  3. Hijab: It has not been published yet. Its Swahili translation printed several times by BMT

  4. Rulings On Modern Poblems: It is translation of of Ayatullah al-Khoui.Printed as a serial in 1978 ih the Light Magazine, Dsm.

D) Moral and Social Affairs

  1. Inner Voice: Two editions published by PET; third revised edition published by M/s Dar Rah-e-Haq, Qum; fourth published by BMT.

  2. The Charter of Rights: Translation of Imam Zaynul 'Abideen (a.s.)'s "Risalatul- Huquq"; first published by PET, with the title "Reciprocal Rights". Second revised edition, with footnotes and Preface, published by VIEF in 1989. Its Swahili translation published by BMT.

  3. Family Life of Islam: Published several times by BMT, BMK and WOFIS. PET included the whole book in a publication on family affairs. Its Gujarati translation was published as a serial in the Alamdar, Bombay. Urdu translation under preparation.

E) History and Biographies 28. The Holy Prophet: At least four editions have been published by BMT, BMK and the Islamic Society of Virginea (U.S.A.). Its Swahili translation published several times by BMT and BMK.

  1. The Shi'as and the Shi'ism: An in-depth study of the Shi'a faith and the Shi'ite peoples, from religious and historical perspectives. Under preparation.

F) Islamics

  1. Muhammad Is the Last Prophet: At least six editions have been published by BMT, BMK and WOFIS.Its Swahili translation has been repeatedly published by BMT and BMK.

  2. Slavery: From Islamic & Christian Perspective: First published by PET; second enlarged and annotated edition published by VIEF, Canada.

  3. A Correspondence Between a Christian and a Muslim. Translation of a Persian booklet; published by WOFIS.

  4. Sects of Islam;A short booklet, published by WOFIS several times.

  5. Shi'ite Sects: Another small booklet, published by WOFIS.Its translation published by BMT.

G) Miscellaneous

      1. Your Question Answered, volume 1 to 5; Four Volumes printed by BMT; the 5th volume (i.e. this book) is now ready for print.

  2. A few Questions Answered: A small booklet printed twice by BMK (Nairobi branch)

  3. Four California lectures; Type-set by VIEF and published by BMT

  4. -43)Selected Articles Vols. 1 and 2; This collection of articles is under preparation.