Dar-ul-Ifta – Ahl-e-Sunnat
Mufti Abu Muhammad Ali Asghar Attari Madani
1. Ruling on consuming a fish found inside another fish
Question: What do the honourable scholars say regarding the following: We bought a fish which had another fish inside it. Is it halal to eat a fish that is found inside another fish?
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
If a fish that is found inside another fish has a normal firm texture, is unchanged [from how fish usually are] and does not have a foul smell, then it is permissible to eat it. However, one cannot eat it if it has changed and has a foul smell. (Al-Muheet Al-Burhani, vol. 6, p. 71, Tanveer Al-Absaar Ma’ Durr Mukhtar, vol. 9 p. 515)
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
2. What to do if there is a dispute regarding the number of units (Rak’ahs) performed in prayer (Salah)
Question: What do the honourable scholars say regarding the following: An imam led the Asr prayer, after which some of those who prayed behind the imam stated that only three units had been offered. However, the imam and most other attendees had predominant thought (zan-e-ghalib) that all four units had been offered. In this case, must the prayer be repeated?
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
In the given scenario, it is not necessary to repeat the prayer if the imam has predominant thought that all four units of the ‘Asr prayer have been offered. (Rad Al-Muhtar, vol. 2, p. 679, Bahar-e-Shari’at, vol. 1, p. 594)
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
3. Is there any narration that deems Jumu’ah prayer the Hajj of the poor?
Question: What do the honourable scholars say regarding the following: Is there any narration in which Jumu’ah has been deemed the Hajj of the poor? If so, what is the purport of this narration?
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
Yes, there is such a narration. One explanation of the narration is that the poor and destitute receive the same reward on Jumu’ah as those performing Hajj (Hujjaj) in the plains of Arafat.
Jumu’ah has been likened to Hajj in part due to numerous reasons. Jumu’ah is offered after the call to it, i.e. the azan of Jumu’ah. Similarly, Hajj was made an obligation after the call of Prophet Ibraheem عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم. Bathing (Ghusl) is performed for Jumu’ah, just as it is performed for Hajj. A sermon takes place during Jumu’ah, and so too does it for Hajj. Buying and selling are unlawful (Haraam) after the call to Jumu’ah—the azan—and so is hunting unlawful after entering the state of ihram. Buying and selling are permitted after the Jumu’ah prayer, as is hunting after exiting the state of ihram after Hajj.
A Hadith in Kanz al-Ummal states: الجمعة حج المساکین. الجمعة حج الفقراء Translation: ‘Jumu’ah is Hajj of the poor and destitute.’ (Kanz al-‘Ummal, vol. 7, p. 707, Hadees 21031, 21032)
In mentioning this Hadith and its explanation, Imam Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti al-Shaafi’i رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْـه stated:
قال النبی صلی الـلّٰـه تعالٰی علیه وآله وسلم: الجمعة حج المساکین ای یحصل لھم فیھا ما یحصل لاھل عرفة
Translation: ‘The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “Jumu’ah is the Hajj of the poor”, meaning, the reward that the people in Arafat receive is the reward that the poor will receive on Jumu’ah.’ (Haashiyah al-Suyuti ‘Ala al-Nasa`ee, vol. 1, p. 219, Hadees. 1373)
It is stated in Fayd al-Qaadir in the commentary of this Hadith: من عجز عن الحج وذھابه یوم الجمعة الی المسجد ھو له کالحج Translation: ‘For the one unable to go Hajj, to attend the masjid on Friday is like Hajj for him.’ (Fayd al-Qadeer, vol. 3, p. 474, Hadees. 3636) Imam Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْـه has written on this Hadith in detail in his book calledمعترک الاقران فی اعجاز القران.
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
4. What should be done if blood flows from the deceased after the bathing (Ghusl) and shrouding (Takfeen)?
Question: What do the honourable scholars say regarding the following:
Someone who died with wounds was bathed, i.e. his Ghusl was performed. Whilst bathing the deceased, the blood that was flowing from his wounds was stopped and cleaned away, and then he was shrouded according to the Sunnah. At this point and for some duration later, blood did not flow from the wounds. When the final viewing took place, the deceased was then carried to the place of funeral prayer. As the funeral prayer was about to commence, it was observed that the shroud around the wounded area had turned red due to blood. Someone claimed that it is necessary for the deceased’s shroud to be pure in order for the funeral prayer to take place, and hence, the funeral prayer cannot take place without purifying the shroud. However, the imam continued with leading the funeral prayer, and the burial also took place. Was it necessary to have purified the shroud in the given scenario? Also, was it correct to offer the funeral prayer?
Questioner: Abdullah Attari (Karachi)
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
In the given scenario, it was correct to offer the funeral prayer. Moreover, it was not necessary to purify the deceased’s shroud due to the blood that flowed after the bathing and shrouding took place.
In order for the funeral prayer to be offered correctly, it is a condition that the body and shroud of the deceased be pure. For the body to be pure means that either the deceased was bathed—i.e. Ghusl was given—or dry ablution (Tayammum) was performed in the case of bathing not being possible. If impurity leaves the deceased’s body prior to being shrouded, the impurity should be washed away. If impurity leaves the body after the deceased is shrouded, it is not necessary to wash away the impurity.
As for the requirement that the shroud must be pure, this refers to [initially] shrouding the deceased in a pure shroud. There is no issue if impurity leaves the deceased’s body afterwards and smears the shroud. In the given scenario, there was no need to purify the shroud as blood flowed from the wound after the deceased was bathed and shrouded. Hence, as there was no requirement to purify the shroud, it was correct to perform the funeral Salah without the shroud being purified. (Rad al-Muhtar Ma’ Durr al-Mukhtar, vol. 3, p. 122, Bahar-e-Shari’at, vol. 1, p. 827)
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
Comments