Using Money Set Aside for Umrah

Madani Muzakarah

1. Using money set aside for umrah

Q: If someone set aside money with the intention of using it to perform umrah, can he spend it on a different, permissible matter if the need arises?

A: He may spend from it if the money is in his direct ownership. If the amount of money he has saved necessitates payment of zakat, this must also be paid.^[1]

2. Loving the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and his city

Q: How can we develop heartfelt attachment for the city of Madina, and how can we express true love for the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم?

A: To develop love for the noble city of Madina, one must learn of its incalculable eminence, sanctity, and exclusive merits. Read Maktabat al-Madinah’s 130 Parables of Devotees of Rasool, as this book helps one foster love for Makkah and Madina. One should also read Hadāiq-i-Bakhshish, the poetic anthology of Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه . If someone proficient in Urdu reads, understands, and memorizes this work, he will become a true devotee of the Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه.

Our company plays a pivotal role in whether we attain love for the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم or not, as a person naturally becomes incentivised when around others. If one travels for hajj or to visit Madina, but without the company of those who revere these sacred lands, we may find ourselves unable to access the emotional and spiritual states of devotion we ought to acquire. When travelling to Makkah and Madina, ensure to do so with people of devotion and knowledge.

Even in one’s homeland, strive to spend as much time as possible with devotees of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم . By Allah’s grace, love for Madina can be kindled through the sunnah-inspired gatherings of Dawat-e-Islami, as well as the Madani Muzākarah.^[2]

3. Intercession of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم

Q: Will people come to various noble Prophets عَـلَـيْـهِمُ الـصَّلٰوةُ وَالـسَّـلَام on the Day of Judgement, seeking their intercession?

A: Yes, indeed! When people will flock to the noble Prophets عَـلَـيْـهِمُ الـصَّلٰوةُ وَالـسَّـلَام on the Day of Judgement and ask to be saved from the terrifying suspense of waiting for the accounting to begin, each prophet will say, “Go to someone else.” When people finally arrive before the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, he will say, “Only I am for this.”^[3]

4. Giving money given as a bridal gift away for business

Q: How should a woman use the money she receives as a bridal gift? As I once personally heard on Madani Channel, a wife can give this money to her husband to start a business.

A: Whatever bridal gift the wife receives, it belongs to her. She can use it in any permissible way she chooses, such as giving it to her husband. If she does not want the money returned, she is fully entitled to excuse her husband from having to repay it.^[4]

5. Pigeons causing a mess

Q: Pigeons enter the masjid and cause a mess. Should they be killed?

A: If pigeons enter the masjid and cause a mess, killing them should not be the first course of action. You can scare them away or block their entry points into the masjid. If, after all else fails, you need to kill them, then slaughter and eat them, as they are halal to consume. Their killing should not go in vain. If these pigeons are domesticated or raised by someone, slaughtering them without the owner’s consent is not permissible.^[5]

6. Importance of helmets

Q: Motorcycle accidents are more common than ever nowadays. How can we avoid them?

A: You should wear helmets when travelling on them. One’s head will remain protected in this way. Some people wear helmets but do not fasten them properly. When an accident occurs, the helmet falls off due to the force of impact. Sometimes the helmet may be fastened securely, but due to being low-quality, it does not provide any significant safety. Wear a helmet from a reputable manufacturer, as a person should take every step to ensure their personal safety.^[6]

7. Talking during sleep

Q: How should a person who talks during his sleep stop this happening?

A: If you suffer from sleep talking, try putting a cloth around your mouth, without obstructing your breathing. Any alternate method to prevent speaking can be adopted, as long as no form of harm comes about. Sleep talking may result from talking excessively when awake, but this cannot be said categorically, as sleep talking (somniloquy) affects only a small number of people. A person afflicted with this can reveal many a secret.^[7]

8. Decorum must also be shown to recorded Quran recitals

Q: Can we play a recorded Quran recital at home whilst doing other things?

A: The etiquette of listening to Quran recordings is not the same as listening to it live. However, as the recording still consists of Quranic recitation, it should be closed if no one is listening to it. Recorded na’t recitals are also played in the same manner. These too should be switched off if no listeners are around.^[8]