The PPK Muslims (Proud, Practicing, Knowledgable) : September 2016

A Thought for Today

“……….repeating the words of Prayer is no substitute for listening to them and thinking about their meaning.”

Ziauddin Sardar

Role, Rules and Reasons of Charity for Muslims as per the Quran and Shari'ah

Role, Rules and Reasons of Charity for Muslims as per the Quran and Shari'ah

ABSTRACT

“And give his due to the near of kin, as well as to the needy and the wayfarer,2 but do not squander [thy substance] senselessly” is discussed. To complete the message of this ayah, the successive four ayahs following it have been included.

We are still focussing on the Ehkaamaat ( commandments) of Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo. The ayah is dealing with the role of philanthropy which is graded very high by Islam, immediately after Eemaan. The ayah starts with “wa-aate” meaning “and give”. We are asked to give out our wealth and bounty. The first recipient of our help are the close kith and kin. Charity begins at home in Islam. The next word is“haq-qa-hoo” meaning “his right” or “his due”. The concept of charity in Islam is therefore not to dole out of sympathy but it is fulfilling what is due to others. The next on the list is the “needy”. A traveller is the last category of the recipients in this ayah. This is rendered more or less irrelevant in the present days. However it points to an important consideration. Even a total stranger like a traveller deserves your help, if he needs it.

The ayah ends with “laa-tubaddhar-tabdhera”. It means squandering or spending

senselessly. This refers not to the quantity spent but the purpose it is spent on.

To bring home the gravity of this sin, Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo condemns the extravagant in the very next ayah as “brothers of Shayateen”.³

“Behold, the squanderers are, indeed, of the ilk of the satans - inasmuch as Satan has indeed proved most ungrateful to his Sustainer.”

They are branded as evil as the devils. May Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo guard us from this coterie.

Every ayah of the Quran has some beautiful angle to it. If for some reason you are not in a position to oblige a needy person you are enjoined in the next ayah⁴

“And if thou [must] turn aside from those [that are in want, because thou thyself art] seeking to obtain thy Sustainer's grace and hoping for it, at least speak unto them with gentle speech”

to decline it with “qaulan mysoora” i.e. in “gentle speech”. Enjoy the way the Holy Quran described the reason to decline: “because thou thyself art seeking to obtain thy Sustainer's Rahmah and hoping for

it”. The term “rahmah” here means “bounty” or “grace”of Allah. It is the beauty of Islam that prayers, fasting and dua are not the only spiritual activity. All our mundane activities are part of our spiritual life with one proviso: they should be driven by taqwaa meaning the desire to embrace the commands of Allah in all our actions.. Also note the word “targhoohaa” referring to our effort for HIS grace. It emphasizes that we should confidently “hope/await/expect” to get HIS grace while we are trying for it.

As per a frequent style of the Quran, the next ayah is directed to the Holy Prophet himself but for the benefit of the entire Ummah⁵

“And neither allow thy hand to remain shackled to thy neck, nor stretch it forth to the utmost limit [of thy capacity], lest thou find thyself blamed [by thy dependents], or even destitute.”

This ayah is a good example of one of the momentous doctrines of the philosophy of Islam: moderation in in almost all that we do. Shari’ah wants us to avoid extremes on either side of the spectrum.

The universal reality for all times about the Powers of our Lord Creator is reiterated in the last ayah of our discussion⁶

“Behold, thy Sustainer grants abundant sustenance, or gives it in scant measure, unto whomever He wills: verily, fully aware is He of [the needs of] His creatures, and sees them all”

It is declared that Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo gives any thing to anybody as he desires and how he desires. Conversely he rations his grant to others as he likes and when he likes. The word “rizk” encompasses, in addition to wealth intelligence, health and energy, bodily qualities, appearance and color, place and status of birth, inheritance, inborn qualities and traits etc. etc.

Following the usual style of the Quran, the ayah ends with a reminder to all mortals that HE is All-Knower and All-Seer over HIS servants. He therefore does not need a CIA or FBI to snoop or trail over us nor does he require a Police or Vigilante Force to enforce HIS commandments. It will all be taken care of on the Day of Judgement, we can rest assure.

September 25, 2016

Read ONLY, IF AND WHEN you have time and mood for:

“An Ayah of the Quran for 30 Days” -- September 2016

Choose the section you have time, in the next 30 days to read this ayah:-

Prelude: Recurrent Primary Message 1st. Page

Starting Dua, a note & The Ayah 2nd. Page

A Short Summary: For the Busy Bee One + Pages

The Main Story: Recommended Three Pages

Footnotes: For the Perfectionist One Pages

PRELUDE

From the Pen and Perspective of a self-styled PPK Muslim (Proud, Practicing, Knowledgeable) with a humble submission that Islam totally rejects Blind Following BUT vigorously focusses on the Limitations of Pure Human Reasoning..............and clearly and comprehensively AlLAH knows best.

In the beginning of the seventh century C.E., the folks of Mecca and Medina had a fascinatingly unique window: they had direct access to the Heavens through one of their own. They were blessed with a regular stream of Divine counseling and guidelines. Question and answer sessions were part of the program. Even individual questioner was graced by an answer. In the short Introduction to this scheme they were assured that at the end of this twenty-two year project, Divine Directions and Admonitions will continue through the agency of the PEN. The whole discourse has been preserved and archived till eternity under the guarantee of our Lord and Creator. This record in known as the Quran.

It should sound unbelievable but factually appears to be true: Many of our prevalent, widespread and important concepts and opinions about religious matters do not have a basis in the Quran and sometimes even appear to be in obvious conflict with the teachings of the Quran. It would be very educative and helpful to discuss an Ayah once a month to see if it supports or rejects our views and actions in our daily life. I wish and hope this email generates a fruitful interactive discussion.

DUAA’

بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحيمِ

In the name of Allah, we praise HIM, seek HIS help and ask for HIS forgiveness. Whosoever Allah guideth none can misguide; whosoever HE allows to fall astray, none can guide him right. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah alone and we bear witness that Mohammed, SAW is HIS slave-servant and the Seal of HIS Messengers.

Further, we recall that Allah Ta’aala has declared in HIS Book¹

“He granteth wisdom to whom He pleaseth; and he to whom wisdom is granted receiveth indeed a benefit overflowing; but none will grasp the Message (or remember or receive admonition) but men of understanding (or intellect)”

and we also recall that he has warned us about the day of judgement²

“Then on that day you shall most certainly be questioned about the boons (joy, pleasure).”

We realise, that there cannot be a greater boon or blessing or benefit than wisdom and we wonder if this should be a timely reminder to very many of us sincere and practicing Muslims who use our critical thinking to enhance the mundane for ourselves and our families but resort to compulsory following -- taqleed, doctrine of classical Sunni Islamic Fiqh -- in matters religion.

(NOTE: I have filtered out the proofs and details into the Footnotes for those who have the time and interest for them. The main email will then be reasonable length, hopefully for the busy majority. What follows is not a sermon; I do not feel qualified to give one, anyhow. I wish, it may provide a food for thought. A caveat seems in order: If the ayah selected pertains to issues we face in our daily life with our family, friends, neighbours or peers it may affect us personally and lead to some self analysis and soul searching which in turn could be divisive and distressing. If taken in the right spirit, it can be a humble attempt towards finding the “straight path”.)

THE AYAH

وَآتِ ذَا القُربىٰ حَقَّهُ وَالمِسكينَ وَابنَ السَّبيلِ وَلا تُبَذِّر تَبذيرًا

Surah Al Isra (no. 17) Ayah 26

“And give his due to the near of kin, as well as to the needy and the wayfarer,2 but do not squander [thy substance] senselessly.”

A SHORT VERSION

“I am convinced about the veracity of my opinions, but I do consider it likely that they may turn out to be incorrect. Likewise, I am convinced about the incorrectness of the views different from mine, but I do concede the possibility that they may turn out to be correct.” — Imam Shafa’i

……………(see the main story). This ayah needs the next four successive ayahs to complete its message. Hence we will include them also in our discussion.

The ayah starts with “wa-aate” meaning “and give”. Give what? This ayah does not mention it. Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo, in HIS eternal wisdom and as per the style of standard Arabic language does not spell out what is obvious. We are in fact asked to give out our wealth and bounty. However the giving should start with handing out of kindness and consideration. To accord them a social status and treat them well has to be the initial step.

To bring home the gravity of this sin, Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo condemns the extravagant in the very next ayah as “brothers of Shayateen”.³

“Behold, the squanderers are, indeed, of the ilk of the satans - inasmuch as Satan has indeed proved most ungrateful to his Sustainer.”

They are branded as evil as the devils. May Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo guard us from this coterie.

Every ayah of the Quran has some beautiful angle to it. If for some reason you are not in a position to oblige a needy person you are enjoined in the next ayah⁴

“And if thou [must] turn aside from those [that are in want, because thou thyself art] seeking to obtain thy Sustainer's grace and hoping for it, at least speak unto them with gentle speech”

to decline it with “qaulan mysoora” i.e. “gentle speech”, “easy kindness”, “soft kind word” or “reasonable saying”. Why would somebody not be in position to help another? Enjoy the way the Holy Quran is put it: “because thou thyself art seeking to obtain thy Sustainer's Rahmah and hoping for it”. The term “rahmah” means mercy. It has mostly been translated as such. But this does not reflect the intention of the ayah. Other renderings offered as “favour”, “bounty” or “grace” bring out the meaning clearly. It is the beauty of Islam that prayers, fasting and dua are not the only spiritual activity. All our mundane activities are part of our spiritual life with one proviso: they should be driven by taqwaa meaning the desire to embrace the commands of Allah in all our actions. All our labour and struggle for our living are, in fact asking for the grace of Allah; mundane activity but blessed as a religious pursuit. Also note the word “targhoohaa” referring to our effort for HIS grace. It emphasizes that we should confidently “hope/await/expect” to get HIS grace while we are trying for it.

Maulana Maudoodi has evaluated the significance and affect of these three ayahs on the structure of Muslim society with characteristic pithiness. I quote him……………….(see the main story)

As per a frequent style of the Quran, the next ayah is directed to the Holy Prophet himself but for the benefit of the entire Ummah⁵

“And neither allow thy hand to remain shackled to thy neck, nor stretch it forth to the utmost limit [of thy capacity], lest thou find thyself blamed [by thy dependents], or even destitute.”

Mufti Mohammed Shafi has referred to the shan-e-nuzool of this ayah: ……….

This ayah is a good example of one of the momentous doctrines of the philosophy of Islam: moderation in in almost all that we do. Shari’ah wants us to avoid extremes on either side of the spectrum. This is a universal message extending to most of our activities. We are enjoined in this ayah in melodious, rhythmic and classical Arabic not to be too miserly nor to be extravagant to leave you repenting and destitute. Based on the sunnah of our Holy Prophet and the example of some our Sahaabaas, Mufti Mohammed Shafi suggests……………..

Maulana Maudoodi again has deliberated on the general impact of this ayah on the community:……..

The universal reality for all times about the Powers of our Lord Creator is reiterated in the last ayah of our discussion⁶

“Behold, thy Sustainer grants abundant sustenance, or gives it in scant measure, unto whomever He wills: verily, fully aware is He of [the needs of] His creatures, and sees them all”

It is declared that Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo gives any thing to anybody as he desires and how he desires. Conversely he rations his grant to others as he likes and when he likes. ……………

The word “rizk” used in this ayah is familiar even to non-Arab ears. It is translated as “rozee’ in Urdu referring to income, profit or wealth. The word has far wider meaning. It is translated as “provision”, “sustenance” or “means of subsistence” by various scholars. The word encompasses, in addition to wealth intelligence, health and energy, bodily qualities, appearance and color, place and status of birth, inheritance, inborn qualities and traits etc. etc.

May Allah Ta’aala bless us with true understanding--“fahm”--of our Deen, Aameen.

Dr. Khalid Mitha

THE MAIN STORY

We are still focussing on the Ehkaamaat ( commandments) of Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo. The ayah is dealing with the role of charity, benefaction and philanthropy which is graded very high by Islam. In many ayahs of the Quran largesse is rated immediately after Eemaan even above the mandatory prayers. More importantly Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo enjoins on us an entirely new approach to alms-giving. It is not your kindness HE says that you are helping the less fortunate among you. It is their right that you have to share some of the God given fortune with them. The Almighty has further advised and warned us that all our wealth over and above all our foreseeable present and future requirements in fact belongs to HIS less endowed folks. We must therefore think twice if there is an occasion to share with them our wealth before denying them. Let us pray that Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo blesses us with enough generosity and nobility to clear this high bar set by him for goodwill and compassion. This ayah needs the next four successive ayahs to complete its message. Hence we will include them also in our discussion.

The first recipient of our help are the close kith and kin. Charity begins at home in Islam. Note carefully the next word “haq-qa-hoo” meaning “his right” or “his due”. The concept of charity in Islam is not to dole out of sympathy but it is fulfilling what is due to him. Dr. Mohammed Asad, on the authority of Zamakhshari and Razi states “‘his due’ evidently refers to the loving consideration due to one's relatives; those of them who are in a state of want are included in the subsequent mention of "the needy" (al-miskin)”. The next on the list is the “needy”. It is a common word in the knowledge of every body. However it has a special implication also. A family may be self sufficient and living happily. Suddenly they are confronted with a major expense, say a big medical bill after a major surgery. For this particular occasion they are covered by this ayah. A traveller is the last category of the recipients in this ayah. This is rendered more or less irrelevant in the present days. However it points to an important consideration. Even a total stranger like a traveller deserves your help, if he needs it. As Yousuf Ali points out “With us, the worship of God is linked up with kindness-to parents, kindred, those in want, those who are far from their homes though they may be total strangers to us. It is not mere verbal kindness. They have certain rights which must be fulfilled.”

The ayah ends with “laa-tubaddhar-tabdhera”. This is one of the unique styles of the Quran; two words side by side, in perfect rhythm meaning more or less same but each emphasizing the other. Frequently the translation creates problems. Here it means squandering or spending wastefully or senselessly. This refers not to the quantity spent but the purpose it is spent on. A whole treasure spent on a worthy cause is approved. A paltry sum spent on an unworthy cause is regarded as wasteful. Thus, Ibn 'Abbas and Ibn Mas'ud (both of them quoted by Tabari) defined tabdhir as "spending without a righteous purpose" or "in a frivolous (batil) cause”. Mujahid, on the authority of Tabari is reported to have said, "If a man were to spend all that he possesses in a righteous cause, it could not be termed squandering; but if he spends even a small amount in a frivolous cause, it is squandering”. Imam al-Qurtubi has pointed to an a valuable nuance: “spending for lawful purpose to the extent of reducing oneself to a “needy beggar” will also amount to tabdhir”. This view highlights a very significant principle in the over all philosophy of Islam.

To bring home the gravity of this sin, Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo condemns the extravagant in the very next ayah as “brothers of Shayateen”.³

“Behold, the squanderers are, indeed, of the ilk of the satans - inasmuch as Satan has indeed proved most ungrateful to his Sustainer.”

They are branded as evil as the devils. May Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo guard us from this coterie.

Every ayah of the Quran has some beautiful angle to it. If for some reason you are not in a position to oblige a needy person you are enjoined in the next ayah⁴

“And if thou [must] turn aside from those [that are in want, because thou thyself art] seeking to obtain thy Sustainer's grace and hoping for it, at least speak unto them with gentle speech”

Maulana Maudoodi has evaluated the significance and affect of these three ayahs on the structure of Muslim society with characteristic pithiness. I quote him as I am unable to express it myself: “These three articles are meant to impress that a man should not reserve his earnings and his wealth exclusively for his own person. He should do his utmost to fulfill his own necessities of life in a moderate way and render the rights of his relatives, neighbours and other needy persons as well. This attitude will help create the spirit of cooperation, sympathy and justice in the collective Islamic life. Thus every relative will cooperate with the other and every well-to-do person will help the needy in his neighborhood and a wayfarer would find himself an honorable guest among generous hosts. The conception of rights should be so extensive that every person should consider that all other human beings have rights on his person and his property so that he should serve them with the idea that he is rendering their rights and is not doing any favour to them. In that case one would beg pardon of the other if one was unable to serve him and would pray to God to send his blessings upon him to enable him to serve His servants.”

He continues “These articles of the Islamic Manifesto were not merely confined to moral teachings but these formed the basis of the Commandments of Zakat and voluntary charity. The laws of inheritance and of making will and endowments were based on these articles. The rights of the orphans were determined by these and it was made obligatory on every habitation to entertain a wayfarer gratis for at least three days. Subsequently the whole moral system was formed so as to create the feelings of generosity, sympathy and cooperation. So much so that the people began to realize the importance of and observe voluntarily the moral rights which could neither be demanded legally nor enforced by law. “

As per a frequent style of the Quran, the next ayah is directed to the Holy Prophet himself but for the benefit of the entire Ummah⁵

“And neither allow thy hand to remain shackled to thy neck, nor stretch it forth to the utmost limit [of thy capacity], lest thou find thyself blamed [by thy dependents], or even destitute.”

Mufti Mohammed Shafi has referred to the shan-e-nuzool of this ayah: “There is an event in the background of the revelation of this verse. Ibn Marduwayh has reported it on the authority of Sayyidna Abdullah ibn Masood and al-Baghawi, on the authority of Sayyidna Jabir. According to this report, a boy came to the Holy Prophet and said, “My mother asks of you a shirt." At that time, the Holy Prophet had no shirt except the one that was on his blessed body. He told the boy, “Come some other time when we have enough means to respond to what your mother is asking for." The boy went back home, and returned and said, "My mother says that you kindly give her the very shirt you have on your blessed body." Hearing this, the Holy Prophet took the shirt off and let him have it. His body was left bare. Came the time for Salah. Sayyidna Bilal called the Adhan. But, when he did not come out as usual, people were worried. When some of them went in, they saw that he was sitting bare-bodied without the shirt. Thereupon, this verse was revealed.”

Maulana Maudoodi again has deliberated on the general impact of this ayah on the community: “These clauses too, are not merely meant to be moral instructions for individuals. They are intended to safeguard the Islamic Society against extravagance by moral instruction, collective pressure and legal restrictions. Accordingly, in the Islamic State of AI-Madinah practical steps were taken to safeguard the community against extravagance. First, many forms of extravagance and luxury were forbidden by law. Secondly, legal measures were taken against it. Thirdly. social reforms were introduced to put an end to those customs which involved extravagance. The Government was empowered to prevent people from the obvious forms of extravagance. Above all, Zakat and voluntary charity helped to break parsimony and the lust of hoarding money. Besides these measures, a public opinion was created that enabled the people to discriminate between generosity and extravagance and thrift and parsimony: so much so that parsimonious people were looked down upon as ignominious and the thrifty people were regarded as honourable. This moral and mental attitude became a part and parcel of the Muslim society, and even today the parsimonious people and hoarders are looked down upon in the Muslim society, while the generous people are respected everywhere.”

The universal reality for all times about the Powers of our Lord Creator is reiterated in the last ayah of our discussion⁶

“Behold, thy Sustainer grants abundant sustenance, or gives it in scant measure, unto whomever He wills: verily, fully aware is He of [the needs of] His creatures, and sees them all”

It is declared that Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo gives any thing to anybody as he desires and how he desires. Conversely he rations his grant to others as he likes and when he likes. Obviously this will produce financial disparity in the society. As Momins we are sure that Allah has a purpose and wisdom behind it even if we do not recognise it superficially. Our Holy Prophet, by enacting some moral and legal reforms worked this system very well to the good of the society. We have also witnessed that the effort to disturb this Divine system and bring in an artificial wage equality in the society by Communism failed miserably. Within a few decades USSR was dismembered. Chinese communism has survived because it has changed its course and has surreptitiously adopted the principles of a free economy.

May Allah Ta’aala bless us with true understanding--“fahm”--of our Deen, Aameen.

Dr. Khalid Mitha

FOOTNOTES

(1) Surah 2/269

يُؤتِي الحِكمَةَ مَن يَشاءُ ۚ وَمَن يُؤتَ الحِكمَةَ فَقَد أوتِيَ خَيرًا كَثيرًا ۗ وَما يَذَّكَّرُ إِلّا أُولُو الأَلبابِ

(2) Surah 102/8

ثُمَّ لَتُسأَلُنَّ يَومَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعيمِ

(3) Surah 17/27

إِنَّ المُبَذِّرينَ كانوا إِخوانَ الشَّياطينِ ۖ وَكانَ الشَّيطانُ لِرَبِّهِ كَفورًا

(4) Surah 17/28

وَإِمّا تُعرِضَنَّ عَنهُمُ ابتِغاءَ رَحمَةٍ مِن رَبِّكَ تَرجوها فَقُل لَهُم قَولًا مَيسورًا

(5) Surah 17/29

وَلا تَجعَل يَدَكَ مَغلولَةً إِلىٰ عُنُقِكَ وَلا تَبسُطها كُلَّ البَسطِ فَتَقعُدَ مَلومًا مَحسورًا

(6) Surah 17/30

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَبسُطُ الرِّزقَ لِمَن يَشاءُ وَيَقدِرُ ۚ إِنَّهُ كانَ بِعِبادِهِ خَبيرًا بَصيرًا

Shocking Ignorance and Utter Stupidity about the Concept of Hijab in Islamic Shari'ah

Shocking Ignorance and Utter Stupidity

about the Concept of Hijab in Islamic Shari'ah

It has to be a joke or a potentially lucrative commercial venture. How else can you explain a catwalk by "hijabi" women at the New York Fashion Week:
https://www.facebook.com/MvslimInspires/videos/1154454271291179/https://www.facebook.com/MvslimInspires/videos/1154454271291179/
A catwalk is a complete antithesis and contradiction of the notion of hijab. To combine the two is just ludicrous. Vigorous insistence on covering the hair is a cultural and regional phenomenon. But making this the one and only requirement of hijab is a total fabrication. Headscarf is supposed to give a "nun" like appearance to avoid male roving eyes. The basic idea of a dress code of hijab (if you believe in one) is to remain in the back ground and avoid publicity. The ladies here have jumped on the stage with designer colorful outfits and parade in attractive steps and rhythm to invite the attention of the audience to sell the products of the corporation. All this in an effort to sell hijab!! What should I call it: confused thinking and utter lack of knowledge or dumb, daft, crazy and idiotic. I don't know. I do know, though that I am getting emotional about it.

Nouman Ali Khan on Memorising and Reciting v/s Reading and Understanding the Quran

Nouman Ali Khan on Memorising and Reciting

v/s

Reading and Understanding the Quran

Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo has declared as HIS responsibility to Protect and Preserve the Holy Quran in its nascent form till eternity. In the seventh century onwards HE committed the Book to the memory and hearts of the Muslims. For centuries it was transmitted faithfully from one generation to the next by the word of mouth, retaining its purity all along. In the meantime Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo has taught man through the “PEN”-mentioned in the very first Revelation- to print and digitalize. Hence we now have billions of printed Quran, tens of thousands of computers, tablets and smartphones to read, hear and see our Holy Text. What was critical in days bygone - hifz-e-Quran- is superfluous now as a need though it continues to be as pious and holy. Muslims do not seem to see this fact and still assign the same usefulness and relevance to it and persist on it with great vigour and enthusiasm.This takes an ugly face in the non-Arabi Muslim world i.e. eighty one percent of the Ummah. It becomes merely parroting the amazing and captivating language of Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo. HE is addressing us; we just by-pass HIM. This is taken a step further by Quranic calligraphy which has turned out modern forms of amulets which were worn on the arms in the olden days. What used to once adorn the Holy Kaaba and the masaajid are now spotted in most homes. Good trend, indeed. But, for what purpose? Most may just glance at it and not bother to read it. And even if they do, its meaning will elude them. Worst, some of them are too intricate to even decipher the words and articulate the sound. The magnificent words of our Lord and Creator are used mainly and only to produce an attractive design and pattern to decorate our walls. I am sorry, I think this last version is shameful in not sinful. Most of my brothers and sisters, though do not see it as such. May be they are right and I am just trying to be too correct.

However recently I came across a video https://youtu.be/g09E2qcry5M wherein the well known scholar Nouman Ali Khan has dealt with this problem in his characteristic buoyant and compelling style. I would like to share it with you. The relevant part is right at the end as a sort of take home message. You may fast forward to 1:03:21 to reach it.

A Full Swing from Bikini to Burkini: Islam? or Distortion of Islam? or Islamophobia?

A Full Swing from Bikini to Burkini:

Islam? Distortion of Islam? Islamophobia?

The New York Times ran a headline France's Burkini Debate Reverberates Around the World ) on August 31, 2016. The author Dan Bilefskyaug describes the reactions in Britain, North Africa, West Africa, Russia and the United States. This debate found its place on FB also and quite “naturally” the catchword “Islamophobia” was thrown out. But, is there Islam in this debate to produce a phobia against it? The logical first step is to answer the question asked by a Muslim sister as far back as July 1, 2012 to a panel supervised by Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid:

“I am a Muslim woman aged twenty-eight years, and I want to go swimming so that I can lose some weight. Can I go swimming in a swimming pool wearing clothes that cover me from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet? There are special clothes for Muslim women who want to swim and they cover the entire body, but they cling to the body when wet. What does Islam have to say about this? What if I wear a towel over these clothes and cover myself beforehand and straight after coming out of the pool? Is it permissible for me to swim in this case? Is it permissible for me to swim if there are some men present?”

Obviously, if the answer is in the negative then we Muslims have to thank France for their Islam friendly action in disallowing burkini on their beeches! The reply she received is pretty long. Trust me with an honest editing. The relevant points in the answer are:

Islam takes complete care of the Muslim woman and preserves her modesty, conceals her and keeps her away from places of fitnah (temptation).

Islam enjoins women to stay at home and not go out unnecessarily, so as to preserve their chastity, maintain their dignity and protect them from all evil.

Muslim women going out to public centres and swimming pools is something that is emphatically forbidden, because it involves a number of evils and negative consequences.

If these swimming pools are in public centres that are frequented by men and women, this is a great evil.

Ahadith from Abu Dawood and at-Tirmidhi are quoted.

The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas from Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah, said:

“For men and women to swim together and then shake hands with one another after swimming is a great evil and it is not permissible to do it. The one who does that should be denounced and the ruler should prevent them from doing it.”

If these swimming pools are only for women it is not permissible to go to them either, even if that is less serious than public baths. That is because women uncover their ‘awrahs, and even if the Muslim woman covers her body she will see those naked women and she will not be able to tell them not to do this evil action.

I will close my message by repeating my advice to my believing brothers not to let their daughters, sisters, wives or other female relatives under their guardianship go to these centers or clubs.

To the best of my knowledge, this pretty well represents the Classical Fiqh (Jurisprudence) of all the four schools of Sunni Islam on swimming. From this point of view there is NO issue here, leave alone a debate. There should not be any Muslim sisters in the pools or on the beeches of France, hence no burkini, hence no “armed police forcing a sister to remove her shirt” and hence no phobia of Islam.

Those of our brothers and sisters in Islam who are inclined towards the Madrassa curriculum and approach, accept the principle of Taqleed and believe in uncritical conformity to the hadith literature have no option but to accept this verdict and stay away from swimming pools and beeches; end of debate.

However there are a multitude of Muslims brothers and sisters who regard Quran as central for guidance, who regard Taqleed as un-Islamic practice and insist on a rational approach to the valuable hadith literature. They will not be impressed by the logic and tone of the verdict given above.

Swimming is a very healthy and enjoyable activity. Lots of sisters just love it. It sounds cruel to deny them this pleasure. On the other hand the motions and the dress necessary for it do conflict with the demands of modesty and decency in our deen. The issue needs real research with an open mind by our scholars. In the meantime, in my humble opinion segregation of genders (for this activity alone) is the best option out. Separate pools for ladies or separate hours in the same pool. This system worked well at the open air but enclosed pool of Karachi Gymkhana. This does deny to ambitious sisters any chance of international competition. In summary, instead of screaming about the banning of burkini, let us Muslims - brothers and sisters - discuss and debate about the Islamic rules and restrictions for swimming. Playing with water in the ocean, in my view again does not present a really big problem.

There are some very interesting information in the article I have quoted above:

In Britain and the United States, the modest outfits are being seen as part of a multicultural model of integrating minorities.

In China, where face-covering swimwear has long been popular among wrinkle-fearing beachgoers, many do not understand what the fuss is about.

In Britain, the swimsuit has become so popular that it recently sold out at the retailer Marks & Spencer.

Ismail Sacranie, a founder of the Islamic sportswear manufacturer that designed Ms. Lawson’s burkini, said 35 percent of his clients were non-Muslim. It is primarily driven by the desire to protect against the sun, he said in a phone interview, but the other reason is that some women of all sizes just don’t want to wear something tiny, and feel more comfortable being covered.

Long before the French ban, many private hotels and pools in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, all governed by France in the past had put up signs banning the burkini, or variations of it, some citing hygiene as the reason. Burkinis caused a stir years ago in Algeria when they started appearing on beaches. The general trend is modesty, so we see more and more women dressed in a burkini. On the beaches of Dakar, the mostly Muslim capital of the overwhelmingly Muslim country of Senegal, no one seems to notice or care what anyone wears. One recent hot afternoon, male bathers wore jeans, white briefs or board shorts into the water. Women were soaking in long dresses, burkinis, bikinis and one-piece swimsuits.

In Russia, the burkini has been banned or rebuked in some quarters as an affront to hygiene and local culture. The health resort in Yessentuki, a city at the base of the Caucasus Mountains, banned women this month from wearing full-body swimsuits, saying that guests had complained; the resort’s head doctor called the swimsuit unhygienic. Muslims have not raced to the swimwear’s defense. Al’bir Rifkatovich Kurganov, a mufti in Moscow, has said that a French-style ban would be irrelevant for Russians, since practicing Muslims would not be visiting secular beaches in the first place.

American Muslims have greeted France’s burkini ban with bemusement and dismay. In northern New Jersey, which has a vibrant Muslim population, the newspaper The Record reported that the burkini ban had mystified many locals. The newspaper talked to two Muslim sisters, Sara and Sondos Elnakib, who said they wore yoga pants and long-sleeve shirts to show modesty at the beach.

The exaggerated opinions on both sides, due to bias or twisted thinking in this debate is highlighted by Asma T Uddin, the Op Ed Contributor of New York Times in her article When a Swimsuit is a Security Threat on Aug 24, 2016. She is the director of strategy at the Center for Islam and Religious Freedom in Washington and a member of the Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The issue is discussed objectively giving evidence. I would like to share with you some of the arguments she has made and add my response, if necessary:

“According to the ordinance in Cannes, Beach attire that ostentatiously displays a religious affiliation, while France and places of worship are the target of terrorist acts, is likely to create risks to public order.

How do pants, a long-sleeve shirt and a head covering made of swimsuit material threaten public safety?”

I have a problem in seeing any “religious affiliation” in burkini. Muslims who wear this also proudly claim the same and push it as Islamic. I will repeat there is no basis for this claim in the sources of Islamic jurisprudence. It is certainly not Islamic by classical teaching. Moreover burkini contravenes many of the demands of Islamic modesty and decorum. I have discussed this earlier. On the contrary, I do see some basis, not justification that massive death and destruction done with the slogan of “Allah-o-Akbar” will induce strong sentiments in some against a display of “Islamic dress” on the beech. The mayor of Cannes, David Lisnard has stretched this point to the extreme when he said in a newspaper interview: “The burkini is the uniform of extremist Islamism, not of the Muslim religion.” The prime minister of France, Manuel Valls is wide off the mark when he says “the suit is part of the enslavement of women.” Frankly speaking this impression in the West about subjugation of Muslim women does have substantial basis in the way Muslim men treat their womenfolk (entirely against Islamic teachings) in large parts of the Muslim world.

The author at one point states “……… when dealing with Muslim women in religious garb. According to Europe’s highest court of human rights, Muslim women in head scarves and burqas are simultaneously victims, in need of a government savior, and aggressors, spreading extremism merely by appearing Muslim in public.” Let us forget our debate with the French for a moment; and have an internal discussion. As a PPK Muslim, I take exception to some of the points mentioned in this sentence. Islam has not prescribed any “religious garb”; it dictates shyness, virtue and decorum; looking “sexy” very popular in the Western culture is forcefully taboo in Islam. One does not need a headscarf or a burqa to “appear Muslim in public”. The five daily prayers and the character that goes with it are the identity of a Muslim. One has a right to adorn a headscarf or burqa on her religious beliefs. But there are those - Muslims and non-Muslims - who do not see this dress through that light. For them it is quite natural to have a negative reaction to it specially if the dress is widely different like that of ancient nuns or superficially resembling the dress of a dacoit or a hijacker. Action and reaction are equal and opposite. If you go out of the way to look different(for what ever reasons) then do not complain if you are treated as different. If wearing a headscarf gives a feeling of flying the flag of faith to some, it feels like giving an anachronistic and backward looking face to Islam in the eyes of others. Each must have respect for the opinion of the other. Coming back to the debate with the French, the author raises the issues of gender inequality, human rights, individual rights and freedom, victim, threat to security and religious liberty. These are important issues in the debate but in my view these are not relevant to “Islam and Islamophobia”. “Face-covering veils, including the niqab and the burqa” are regarded as compulsory by many Muslims I admit; to many others it is reactionary and archaic. Islam by nature is dynamic and progressive to remain relevant for many millennia to come. If you are really surprised by the negative sentiments to a full burqua with a slit in front walking on the streets of Paris, imagine the reaction to a bikini pacing on the beach in Karachi or any Muslim country.

An article by Mike Ivesaug on Aug 24, 2016 Burkini"s Inventor Says Sales Have Skyrocketed on Heels of Controversy is interesting. Aheda Zanetti, 49, the Lebanese-Australian inventor of the swimsuit, said the controversy over efforts to ban the full-body bathing suit worn by some Muslim women has helped bolster demand for her invention. She claims the burkini swimsuit is “freedom and happiness and lifestyle changes.” Religion is not included as one of the reasons. Hence opposing burkina cannot be labelled as “Islamophobia”. She also said that she designed the garment in 2004 for women who wanted to show less skin while bathing or exercising. Obviously she does not realise that just covering the skin is not the only purpose of hijab; it is much more than that.

She wanted to introduce a full range of clothing to suit a Muslim woman or any woman that wanted a bit of modesty and wanted to participate in any sporting activities. She seems to forget that a Muslim sister will not and should not be satisfied with “a bit of modesty” but will aspire for full standards set by her religion. A fashion designer and former hairdresser, Ms. Zanetti coined the name burkini, a blend of the words burqa and bikini, but said that the swimsuit was not intended to exclude non-Muslims and was not meant to be a political statement.

The French bans, and the news reports about the ensuing debate, have been good for business, she said, with online sales rising about 200 percent in recent days. Most demand is coming from Australia, Europe and Canada, she said, and some new customers include skin-cancer patients who are looking for ways to shield their skin from the sun. She also created the hijood headwear attached to the burkini, to look like the hood of a sweatshirt. “I have a strong voice on behalf of women, for freedom of choice” she said. I wii add this is a no brainer. Women definitely have a right to freedom of choice.

Daniel Greenfield, a Shillman Journalism Fellow at the Freedom Center, is a New York writer focusing on radical Islam posted this article The Burkini is about Sexual Violence Against Women - Free to Molest on August 30, 2016 in Frontpage Mag.

He obviously has strong resentment against Islam and Muslims and therefore betrays a distorted approach to the problem as is clear form the title of his article. However he has made some arguments worth noting by us Muslims.

“The “Burkini”, a portmanteau of “Burka”, the all-encompassing cloth prison inflicted on women in Afghanistan by the Taliban, and “Bikini”, was banned in France along with its parent, the Burka.” You will agree his description of burqua is quite realistic!

“But the clothing of Muslim women is not a personal fashion choice. Muslim women don’t wear hijabs, burkas or any other similar garb as a fashion statement or even an expression of religious piety……..”

“Muslim women wearing a burka, a hijab or a burkini are pointing a sign at other women.” I will respond that they certainly do not mean to. But it can justifiably be construed as such.

“In the Islamic worldview, sexual violence is the fault of the victim, not the perpetrator. From the dancing boys of Afghanistan to the abused women of Egypt, the fact of the assault proves the guilt of the child or the woman who was assaulted.” Very painfully I have to accept that this as true. I have seen it unfolding in Pakistan.

“If you take uncovered meat and put it on the street, on the pavement, in a garden, in a park or in the backyard, without a cover and the cats eat it, is it the fault of the cat or the uncovered meat?” the Grand Mufti of Australia said. “The uncovered meat is the problem.” The Grand Mufti wasn’t discussing cats or meat. He was talking about gang rapes by fourteen Muslim men. "If she was in her room, in her home, in her hijab, no problem would have occurred,” he said.” Needs to be confirmed but my bet is for it. He has highlighted a very ugly blot in the thinking of a large section of Muslims and their scholars. Shameful, I think. Disgraceful it is. A very distressing and agonizing truth for Muslims. This is the reason I think this article is useful for us despite its venom against Muslims and Islam.

“It’s not the cloth itself that is the problem, but the Islamic attitudes that attach themselves to it”. Once again I agree. It is not just a piece of cloth under discussion; much more is at stake.

Alissa J. Rubinaug in her paper in the New York Times From Bikinis to Burkinis, Regulatin What Women Wear dated Aug. 27, 2016 has discussed the issue objectively. She has tried to ride above sentiments and and present some facts. It is worth reading. I have included here some prominent features.

“To start with, it depicts a photograph with the following explanation:

The photo dates from 1957. The woman is wearing a bikini on the beach at Rimini on Italy’s Adriatic coast. At the time, Italy prohibited the revealing bathing suit; it was too immodest to be worn in public.

In the midst of France’s fight over banning the burkini, the bikini is celebrating its 70th anniversary, and photographs chronicling its debut and early history in the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s are on display in one of Paris’s chic galleries, prompting parallels to the uproar over the burkini today.”

“What is it about women’s swimwear and more generally women’s attire that over and over in history has attracted controversy and impelled societies to legislate or regulate women’s choices? Historians, sociologists and anthropologists have argued about it for decades, but the seemingly simplistic statement that women’s bodies are a battleground has some truth to it. Formally or informally, men (primarily) have been making rules about women’s attire for a very long time.”

“As the debate continues, much that is important will be said about France and racism and Islam, but it is worth pondering that it is women’s clothes that are at issue.””

“Throughout history, a combination of legislation, local regulation and social pressure has influenced the way women have dressed — corsets and décolleté, hoop skirts and bustles, the controversial advent of pants. France is now a society demanding that women undress, but in many ways this debate is part of the same narrative.”

“As recently as the 1980s, a number of large American corporations had extensive dress codes for women. “There would be four pages on what a woman could wear to work, and four sentences for men,” Professor Clemente said.”

“Today the French seem to believe as strongly that such undress is mandatory as Italy, under the Vatican’s influence, felt it was necessary to hide women’s bodies, she added.”

“Indeed, the deputy mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, who is a political power broker on the Côte d’Azur, has repeatedly referred to the covering of women on the beach — whether in a burkini or a large T-shirt, pants and hijab — as a “provocation,” suggesting a challenge to the French order.”

“Ms. Lourenço, whose internet business sells swimwear in 120 countries, is not Muslim, and people often ask her why she designs for Muslim women. “My answer is simple: At the end of the day women are women, whether Muslim or not, and we all want to be comfortable, look beautiful and feel feminine,” she said.”

If you are impressed by these information, do read the whole article.

Islamic Center of Beverly Hills after quoting this hadith “Our beloved Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him (PBUH) said all Muslim men and women should learn to swim in case of an emergency like flood, drowning, water voyage and war” comes out with this advice “We should teach our children how to swim at an early age, but swimming should be considered a very private event in the family with a proper bathing suit.”

The problem we are discussing is very well summed up in this question by a Muslim sister:

“Many Muslim girls are into swimming but unfortunately there's no special swimming pool for women here where I am. I know there's a swimwear Muslim girls could wear to swim in a regular swimming pool, it still can cover up the aurat but still it's tight and show your body shape when you get out of the water. Many guys would see the body shape and I think it's considered haram. I know tight clothing when swimming is for the safety of the swimmer but still it's an issue Muslim girls are having now. If only I was rich, I would build a special area pool for girls so that they're safe in the pool and by the rules. But there's nothing I can do right now other than asking what kind of outfit should me and my Muslim women wear to swim in a regular swimming pool.”

Finally it will be interesting to listen to one of the “interest” groups. Alsharifa is a manufacturer of “Islamic, or Sharia, Swimsuits”. They were asked “whether such swimsuits should be allowed in Islam for women to use.” After clarifying that they are “manufacturer, and not an authority on religion or issues of faith”, they volunteered to provide some “pointers” which to me sound meaningful:

“The most commonly cited drive behind wanting to swim is the Sunnah of the prophet (pbuh) through the verified hadith: “Teach your children : Javelin throwing, Swimming, and Horse Riding”. The hadith in Arabic uses the word “Awlad” which has the literal translation of children. It did not talk about “boys” alone, so both men and women are included.”

“We were initially surprised when members of the local churches where we are located began purchasing swimsuits from us. The demand for cover is there, regardless of faith. Some people cover for religious reasons, others to keep a more flattering look in cases such as overweight or having an irregular body shape. One of our customers Nora who purchased the Malibu swimsuit said “I think it’s important for a woman to be able to dress modestly and still look sporty.”

“On the theological side, many people have made statements about the topic of Islamic Swimwear. Suad Saleh, Professor of Fiqh at al-Azhar University and the former Dean of the College of Islamic Studies opines that hitting the beaches to relax and getting relief from stress is permissible as Islam is “deen-ul-waseeta”, which means it is a religion of moderation. So one neither has to be too hard on oneself, nor the opposite extreme. On the other side of the spectrum, Pof. Mustapha Umara who is a member in the Higher Council For Islamic Affairs in Cairo, Egypt, has the opinion that woman is “awra” or “aurat” as a whole so she cannot wear short or tight clothing, or anything that shows the details of her body, whether at the beach or in public places. The direct definition of Awra / Aurat is “something than cannot be exposed in public.”

To reports from Egypt that certain resorts were disallowing Muslim women from using Islamic Swimsuits in their pools on hygienic grounds the organization reacts “it is preposterous because the Islamic Swimsuit is naturally more hygienic” for the following reasons:

1) it covers more of the skin, compare this to the exposed skin of other swimmers, think blisters, open wounds, dirt, sweat, hair, etc.

2) the swimsuit material is anti-bacterial, as it repels most things it comes in contact with including water, sand, germs, etc.

3) it fully covers the hair (imagine all the germs in the hair alone soaked in water, absent this type of swimsuit – germs exchange medium)

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