Question

Can a Muslim go to a non Muslim to seek spiritual help for example the Muslim goes to the non Muslim seeking help for Jinns Black magic or medical condition and the non Muslim reads something from his religious book and blows on some water and then gives that water to the Muslim.

What is the religious ruling for a Muslim that has done the above? and is this permitted in the shariah? 

Please remember in your duas.

JazakAllah Khayr

Answer

It is not permissible and it is an act of kufr to seek spiritual help from a person who is not a Muslim and practises black magic or any other form of witchcraft, sorcery or voodoo. This is because they seek help from the devil and use words of shirk and kufr in their chants. In a Hadith, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said that he who comes to a kaahin (fortune teller) and believes what he says has freed (himself) from that which Allah revealed upon Muhammad ﷺ. This has been recorded by Imam Abu Dawood in his Sunan and Allah knows best.

As for medical help in physical sicknesses and illnesses from non Muslims, it is permissible as long the practitioner does not use impure substances in his treatments and medicines and Allah knows best.

Zahid Hussain Al-Qadiri
(Beggar at the doorstep of Scholars)
25th Rabi al Awwal 1437 AH

Question

Asalaamualaykum Mufti Sahib, I have a couple of questions;

1) Is it preferred to get married young? I’m 19 and wish to get married but especially in culture I’ll be seen as too young, immature etc. Also is it allowed for me and my wife to live separately, whilst we are at university? This is a way to reduce any haraam and sins. And then move in together after university?

2) are they any wazaif you could give me for depression, and fulfilling ones wishes, and for happiness?

3) are there any wazaif someone can read on behalf of someone who has been raped/sexually assaulted? So Allah Ta’ala eases their pain and makes it easy for them.

4) what’s the Sunnah way of getting married? Like having the nikaah, Sunnah acts that should be done and fulfilled. As I want my wedding to be exactly like the Sunnah inshaAllah. JazakAllah Khair, and sorry for so many questions! May Allah Ta’ala reward you for this beautiful service you’ve started MashaAllah.

Answer

Wa Alaykum Al-Salam

Al-Jawaab:

1. It is preferred that people get married at a young age if they have the financial and physical capability to fulfil the rights of their spouse. In the thirty second and thirty third verses of Surah Al-Noor, Allah the Creator has said,

“And marry those off who are single amongst you and the pious of your slaves and maid-servants. If they are poor, Allah will enrich them by His grace. And Allah is the All Capable All Knowing. And those who do not have the means to get married must keep chaste till Allah gives them independence by His grace.”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

“O community of the young! He, who possesses the financial and physical capability to marry from amongst you, should get married, because it lowers the gaze (from looking towards ghayr mahaarim) and protects the private parts (from sin). And he who does not possess the capability to marry then he should fast because it (fasting) kills the desires.”

The Quran and Sunnah advise us to have our youth married at a young age if they are financially and physically capable of fulfilling the rights of each other. As long as the financial capability is present and enough, one should not delay marriage waiting for more finances because Allah has promised to enrich those who marry if they are poor. It is also important to note that in order to protect the society and community from filthy sins, it is important to marry the youth at young ages. It is clear that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ advised that marriage protects the gaze from looking towards those men and women that are unlawful for him/her and it also protects the private parts from desiring the unlawful men and women. Although following this advice will not completely eradicate the rising instances of fornication, adultery and rape, it will certainly help decrease them.

Those people who have not had the opportunity to get married and feel uncontrollable desires which distract them from their daily work and concentration should consider fasting or even eating less and remaining slightly hungry. This reduces their sexual desires and prevents the satan from controlling their desires and Allah knows best.

Once a person is married, the person must fulfil the rights of the spouse. There is no harm in living separately due to a necessity such as education or work purposes. However, it is important to ensure that they do not stay away from each other for more than four months at a time. The leader of the believers, Sayyiduna Umar Allah is pleased with him, ordered the people during his Khilaafah that every man must not stay away from his spouse for more than four months. This law that Sayyiduna Umar Allah is pleased with him legislated is in order to prevent any unlawful happening whilst the man is away from his wife and vice versa and Allah knows best.

2. To prevent depression or even cure depression and to attain happiness one should recite the Quran daily at a set time, preferably in the morning at the time of Fajr or after the Sun has risen high. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

“Indeed he who does not have anything from the Quran inside his body is like an empty house.”

Those who do not recite the Quran or do not know anything from the Quran off by heart are vulnerable to spiritual illnesses such as depression. The more a person recites the Quran or memorises it, the more happier and content he/she will feel. The body becomes enlightened and if Allah wills, the person will be protected from all spiritual and virtual illnesses.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ also said,

“Indeed these hearts rust in the same way as metal does when it comes in contact with water. It was said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! And what is the cure for it?’ He, peace and blessings be upon him said: ‘To frequently remember death and to recite the Quran.’”

This tradition advises us to remember death and recite the Quran in order to fuel and give life to one’s heart and keep it clean and content. The Quran is a very powerful cure for many illnesses and diseases and must not be forsaken. The household in which the residents recite the Quran daily will see many blessings and much happiness in their lives and the household will be protected from all types of evil. Reciting Salawaat upon our Master and Saviour of Mankind Muhammed ﷺ and reciting the Qaseedah Al-Burdah of Imam Sharf Al-Deen Al-Buseri Al-Misri is also very beneficial in curing depression and attaining happiness in life and Allah knows best.

3. A person who has faced or is facing a calamity of any sort that has caused much distress should frequently recite the Tarjee’,

إِنّا لِلَّـهِ وَإِنّا إِلَيهِ رجِعونَ

Those who recite the Tarjee’ upon being conflicted with a calamity or misfortune are favoured by Allah and are showered with mercy and guidance as has been mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah (Verse: 155, 156, 157),

“And surely we shall try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and crops; but give glad tidings to the patient ones. Those who say; when a misfortune strikes them: Indeed we belong to Allah and indeed unto Him we will return. Those are the people upon whom are the blessings from their Lord, and mercy. It is they who are on guidance.”

The person should recite the Tarjee’ themselves and others may also recite it when hearing of or remembering the misfortune and Allah knows best.

4. The preferred things in a marriage ceremony that have been mentioned in Bahare Shariat are the following:

a. The Nikah should be publicised and happen in the open and not discreet and hidden in closed doors, so that people become aware that these two people are now lawful marital partners.

b. A short sermon should be delivered before the Nikah and it is better to deliver the sermon recorded from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

c. It is preferred that the Nikah happens in a Masjid.

d. It is preferred that the Nikah happens on a Friday.

e. It is preferred that the Nikah happens in the presence of pious and reliable witnesses.

f. It is preferred that the bride be less in age, family status, wealth and respect than the groom.

g. It is preferred that the bride be more in good character, manners, piety and beauty than the groom.

Apart from the aforementioned, it is rewarding to provide food for the guests and to dress in clean and pure clothes and it is Sunnah to hold a Waleemah the next day or the day after. One may spend, adorn and magnify the occasion in accordance to his/her financial ability bearing in mind that it is forbidden to waste. It is important to note that Music and dancing is forbidden in Shariah and so it must not occur in a wedding ceremony and over expenditure for glamorising the occasion whereby the bride, groom or their parents or guardians fall in to debts is also forbidden. It is also impermissible to touch, hug and kiss ghyar mahaarim from the opposite gender even if they are relatives or aunts and uncles. It is also forbidden to imitate the non Muslims and therefore those men and women who dress as though it is a Christian wedding should take heed. Therefore suits with ties, sleeveless wedding dresses with an open neck, as well as dresses where more material than what the actual body dress contains is dragged on the floor, are all forbidden. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, quite clearly warned that those who imitate a people are from amongst them and that they will rise amongst them on the day of resurrection and Allah the Almighty knows all.

Zahid Hussain Al-Qadiri
(Beggar at the doorstep of Scholars)
29th Thu Al-Hijjah 1436 AH

Mawlana Dr. Muhammad I'jaaz Anjum Latifi, the Teacher of Jaamia' Razviya Manzar-e-Islam Bareilly Sharif, narrates:

It is the year 1981. I reached Bareilly Sharif, alone, after a long journey from my home. I had an uncle living here whose name was Mawlana Akhtar Noori and it was a favourable coincidence for me that he met me along the way in Bareilly Sharif. The following day, I presented myself at the Tomb of Sayyidi AlaHadrat radi Allahu anhu. Ever since from this day I always presented my greetings at the Tomb of Sayyidi AlaHadrat during the mornings and evenings. Sometimes I would meet Huzur Mufti-e-A'zam in Raza Musjid. I used to greet him and kiss his blessed hands. In those times I had no special inclination towards him. I considered him as a pious person like every other pious man.

One day my uncle questioned me if I was a mureed of someone. I informed him that I am not as yet a mureed of anyone but my parents have become mureeds of a Pir Sahab of Kichowcha Sharif. My intention is also to pledge allegiance (become a mureed) to a Sayyid Sahab. The reason I stated this is because I have always heard and read the excellence and greatness of the Prophet's صلى الله عليه و سلم  descendents. In short, my intention was not to become the disciple of Huzur Mufti-e-A'zam. My uncle tried to instill affection within me for Huzur Mufti-e-A'zam by informing me about his piety, selflessness and spirituality. He also motivated the fact that I shall not find a worthier and more God-Fearing Pir than him. Thereafter (when I did not heed his advices and requests) he discontinued encouraging me to become the Mureed of Huzur Mufti-e-A'zam.

Three weeks later there was no thought in my mind about becoming a mureed to anyone. The weather was surging with summer heat. The days were of Ramadaan. One day I woke up in the afternoon, performed Ghusl (bath) and prayed my Zuhr Prayer with the congregation. Then I started reciting the Holy Qur'an. The sun had declined and due to this the temperature dropped a little bringing along with it a cool waft of late afternoon breeze. My eyes drooped and while I was busy in the recitation of the Holy Qur'an, I slumbered onto the floor and slept.

When my eyes opened my condition was peculiar in a way that my heart felt a strange wave of tranquility. At that time I was the Imam of the Musjid of Ahmad Ali district of Bareilly Sharif. My inner being, as if a magnet, was drawing my attention towards Huzur Mufti-e-A'zam. My mindset was suddenly filled with a strange desperation and a resolved determination that I must become a mureed of Huzur Mufti-e-A'zam. I was astonished with my state of affairs and I kept questioning as to why, out of the blue, that I remember Huzur Mufti-e-A'zam? In this condition, I went to my uncle and requested him to request Huzur Mufti-e-A'zam to accept me as his mureed.

My uncle, undoubtedly surprised by my request, remarked: "I always motivated you to become his mureed but you did not pay any heed. And now, suddenly, without any premonition, why did you change your intention?"

I replied that I am myself stunned at my words and my heart is involuntarily being pulled towards Huzur Mufti-e-A'zam and my senses are encouraging me to go to him. Nevertheless, we immediately left the Musjid and travelled to the Saudagran district to Raza Musjid. It was Asr time. The congregation was about to set. After the Prayer, my uncle took my hand and approached Huzur Mufti-e-A'zam and requested him:

"Huzur, please accept him and place him in your supervision (make him your Mureed)"

At that time I realised something. Hazrat's spiritual perception is that he spiritually pulled me into his circle and through his supplication he bestowed upon me with the position of Senior Teacher of Jaamia Razvia Manzar-e-Islam. Whatever I am today, and whatever work I am accomplishing; all of it is due to that spiritual perception and supplication of the Master and Possessor of saintliness.

As for my doctorate and secular studies I have to place this also at the feet of my Master. It was the time when my father informed me that the board exam date has been set and I have to return to my hometown. I felt like going to Hazrat late at night but then thought better of it that how can I disturb him. In the morning, before travelling to my hometown, I wrote a letter to Huzur Mufti-e-A'zam requesting him to supplicate for my success. I was about to place the letter into the post box when the horrifying news reached me that Hazrat has passed away. My world was torn apart. My heart was squeezed with emotion and I had felt last night that I should be with Hazrat but I did not do it. And I could not send this letter anymore and I was about to tear it. Then I thought of something and placed the letter addressed to Hazrat into the post box.

The strange thing about the exam was, that it was set in my hometown. And the supervisors were very strict. A boy was found cheating and his exam was refuted. I had not studied (due to sadness) and I knew that I will not be able to pass this exam. But, may my life be sacrificed for Hazrat's spiritual prowess even after he left this world! I received merit in my exam and was awarded with the second position. All of this is due to the letter which I had posted and I was well aware that Hazrat received the letter...eventually.

"Chaman Khaamosh ghamgeen chaand taare Mufti-e-A'zam,
Nahi ab Noor o Nikhat ke nazaare Mufti-e-A'zam,
Rawaa aankho se hain ashkou ke dhaare Mufti-e-A'zam, 
Kahaa ho be-sahaaro ke Sahaare Mufti-e-A'zam!"

"The garden is silent, saddened are the moon and stars O Mufti-e-A'zam,
Nor are there any visions of light and luminosity O Mufti-e-A'zam!

Flowing are the rivers of tears from the eyes O Mufti-e-A'zam, 
Where are you, O the Support of the supportless, O Mufti-e-A'zam!

(Jahaan e Mufti e A'zam, pg 413)

Translated by Tehseen Raza Hamdani Nuri

http://thesunniway.com/articles/item/195-spiritual-perception-of-huzur-mufti-e-azam