Darul Ifta Ahl-e-Sunnat
Mufti Muhammad Hashim Khan Attari Madani
Fasting intermittently after vowing to fast consecutively
Q:
What do the noble scholars say concerning the following matter: I vowed to consecutively observe 11 fasts if my father regained good health. اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه My father has now regained good health, and I wish to observe these fasts intermittently, separate from one another. Is it permissible for me to do this?
A:
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
In light of Islamic law, if one vows to fast consecutively, offering them with gaps in between is not sufficient for the fulfilment of the vow. This is because fulfilling the vow in this manner is deficient. Therefore, in the given scenario, as you have vowed to observe the fasts consecutively, it is not correct for you to observe them intermittently.
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
Earning from liking videos on social media platforms
Q:
What do the noble scholars say concerning the following matter: some companies/online websites sell various packages. Each package has a different price and offers a different earning. After purchasing the package, the company sets some kind of activity on a social media app, such as liking a YouTube video, Facebook post, Instagram post, etc. In return for completing these activities, they give daily earnings. They also grant bonuses for getting others to join. Is this manner of earning online permissible?
A:
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
Due to entailing things that are impermissible and many matters being problematic according to Islamic law, the earnings mentioned in the given scenario are unlawful. The details to this are as follows.
Bribery
The money given for the package is bribery, because nothing is received in exchange for the paid amount except the right to work with the online company. In other words, the person only pays the amount to obtain employment in the company. According to Islamic law, giving some money to a person in authority in order to get a job done for yourself is bribery, and bribing someone is impermissible.
Ijārah Fāsidah (impermissible employment)
According to Islamic law, liking videos and posts is not an activity for which employment (i.e. working in return for payment) is valid, rather it is impermissible. This is because employment is only correct in relation to such an intended benefit and activity for which there is a practice amongst people of doing that thing in exchange for money. However, there is not the practice of liking videos and posts as employment, because according to Islamic law, practice is only established when large numbers of people in many cities are involved in that particular thing.
Encouragement of impermissible acts
Given that this activity is unlawful, getting others to participate in it and acquiring a bonus for that is also impermissible. This is because encouraging someone to do something unlawful and guiding him towards it is impermissible and a sin, and taking a wage for a sinful act in the name of bonus is also unlawful. In fact, even if it were permissible to work in this company, it would still not be permissible to take this wage for merely getting people to join, as a wage is permissible in exchange for work requiring effort, not merely in exchange for giving advice and encouragement.
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
Giving the food of expiation (kaffārah) for breaking a fast to a madrasah
Q:
What do the noble scholars say concerning the following matter: if food is given as expiation (kaffārah) for a broken fast, is it necessary to feed it to 60 sharꜤī faqīrs (people regarded as poor by Islamic law), or can the food also be given to a Sunni madrasah?
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
A:
When food is given as an expiation for a broken fast, it is necessary to feed 60 miskīn (sharꜤī faqīrs) twice to their fill. Now, whether that food is fed to 60 sharꜤī faqīrs in a madrasah or elsewhere, in both cases the expiation will be discharged.
Nonetheless, note that as opposed to zakat and ṣadaqat al-fiṭr, it is not necessary for the poor person to obtain ownership of the food. Therefore, there is no need for a stratagem (ḥīlah) either. Also, if food is given to a madrasah and 60 sharꜤī faqīrs become satiated by consuming it, the expiation will be discharged.
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
Pardoning a loan with the intention of offering zakat
Q:
What do the noble scholars say concerning the following matter: Zayd loaned Amr £2,000, but Amr is unable to repay it and is considered poor (a sharꜤī faqīr) according to Islamic law. He is neither a Sayyid nor Hashimi. If Zayd pardons the debt owed to him, will his zakat be discharged?
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
A:
If Zayd pardons the loan, the pardoning will be valid, but this will not mean that the zakat of his other wealth has been offered. This is because the pardoning of a loan is considered as waiving one’s right (isqāṭ) from one perspective and transferring of ownership (tamlīk) from another. However, to offer zakat, absolute transfer of ownership to a sharꜤī faqīr is a condition.
In the case of Zayd wanting to discharge his zakat and also pardon Amr’s debt, if Amr is a sharꜤī faqīr, then the proper way is for Zayd to give Amr money with the intention of discharging his zakat and then take back money from him as the debt owed to him.
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
Minors and the fasts of Ramadan
Q:
What do the noble scholars say concerning the following matter: What is the Islamic ruling concerning getting children that have not yet reached puberty to observe the fasts of Ramadan?
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
A:
Fasting is not obligatory (fard) for minors. However, if a child reaches the age of seven, has the ability to fast and is not harmed by doing so, it is necessary upon their guardian to make them observe the fast. And when a child reaches the age of ten and has the strength to fast, it is necessary (wājib) on the guardian to be firm in ensuring the child observes the fast and discipline them if they do not.
Ordering a seven-year-old to pray, being firm concerning the prayer upon them reaching the age of ten, and disciplining them in the event of not praying, is wājib on the guardian. The same ruling also applies to fasting, because according to the sound (ṣaḥīḥ) view, the ruling of fasting is also the same as prayer.
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
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