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Author: Dr. Jamal Badawi

  • Interview: Dr. Jamal Badawi – Knowing Jesus

    Interview: Dr. Jamal Badawi – Knowing Jesus

    Understanding and Misunderstanding about Jesus:A Conversation with Dr.Jamal Badawi

    Q:  How many times was Jesus mentioned in the Qur’an and what is the extent of coverage given to his life in the Qur’an? 

    Jamal Badawi:  There are at least eleven chapters in the Qur’an where the name of Jesus or mention of him, his birth and life are mentioned.  This is nothing extraneous or exterior to the belief of a Muslim.  The chapters that contain mention of Prophet Jesus are 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 19, 21, 23, 43, 57 and 61. There are one hundred and fourteen chapters in the Qur’an and eleven of them mention Jesus. This shows the substantiality of Prophet Jesus.

    The nineteenth chapter in the Qur’an is titled after Jesus’ mother, Surah Maryam or Chapter of Mary.  Chapter three is titled after Mary’s family and is called Al’Imran or The Family of Imran.  Chapter five is titled Al Ma’ida or The Table and tells the Islamic version of The Last Supper.  So the titles of three chapters in the Qur’an are related in some form or another to the story of Jesus (PBUH) as is presented in the Qur’an.

    Q:  Did Mary, according to the Qur’an, predict her predicament?  Did she know beforehand that she was going to be with child, and that child was going to be Jesus and that his status in life was going to be that important?

    JB: According to the Qur’an, she did have some notion or at least an idea of the kind of miracle that was going to take place through her.  According to the Qur’an, there is no dispute on the birth of Jesus as a virgin birth.  She gave birth before she married Joseph the carpenter.  As I said, the way he was born is the most outstanding miracle of Prophet Jesus (PBUH).

    The summary of the verses in regards to Jesus, show that at one point Mary was alone in a place secluded from her family and there appeared to her the angel of God in the form of a human being.  In the beginning she was scared since she was alone. She implored him not to get near her if he really feared God.  He told her not to be afraid, he was not there to hurt her and he was simply coming to bring her the news of the birth of a noble and pure child.

    The translation from the Qur’an says, “Relate in the Book (the story of) Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place in the East.  She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent her our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects.  She said: ‘I seek refuge from thee in (Allah) Most Gracious: (come not near) if thou dost fear Allah.’  He said: ‘Nay, I am only a messenger from thy Lord, (to announce) to thee the gift of a holy son.’  She said: ‘How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has touched me, and I am not unchaste?’  He said: ‘So (it will be): Thy Lord saith – That is easy for Me, and (We wish) to appoint him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us:’ It is a matter (so) decreed’” (19:16-21). This is how the news of the future birth of Jesus was related to Mary.

    Q:  Did Mary deliver Jesus in the normal way- was her childbearing and delivery like everyone else? Were there any miracles in this respect again?

    JB: There is no evidence in the Qur’an that the delivery was unusual. The pregnancy was just like any other woman’s pregnancy.  In fact, the Qur’an talks about Mary suffering the agony of childbirth like any other woman.  The Qur’an also says that she was very distressed psychologically because she was worried about what her people would think of her and how she was going to explain this virgin birth.  She was afraid nobody would believe her.  The Qur’an also indicates that something miraculous happened immediately after Jesus was born.  Jesus assured her and told her what to do when people asked her questions or made accusations against her.The Qur’an states, “So she conceived him, and she retired with him to a remote place.  And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree: She cried (in her anguish): ‘Ah! If only I had died before this! If only I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight!’  But (a voice) cried to her from beneath the (palm-tree): ‘Grieve not! For thy Lord hath provided a rivulet beneath thee; and shake towards thyself the trunk of the palm-tree: It will let fall fresh ripe dates upon thee. So eat and drink and cool (thine) eye. And if thou dost see any man, say: I have vowed a fast to (Allah) Most Gracious, and this day will I not enter into talk with any human being’” (19:22-26).

    The Qur’an continues, “At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: ‘O Mary! Truly an amazing thing hast thou brought!  O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!’  But she pointed to the babe. They said: ‘How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?’  He said: ‘I am indeed a servant of Allah. He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet; And He hath made me blessed wherever I be, and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live; (He) hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable; So peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)!’  Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary: (it is) a statement of truth, about which they (vainly) dispute.  It is not befitting to (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! When He determines a matter, He only says to it, ‘be’, and it is.  Verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord; therefore serve Him: this is a Way that is straight.  But the sects differ among themselves: and woe to the unbelievers because of the (coming) Judgment of a Momentous Day!  How plainly will they see and hear, the Day that they will appear before Us! But the unjust today are in error manifest!  Warn them of the Day of Distress, when the matter will be determined: for (behold,) they are negligent and they do not believe!  It is We Who will inherit the earth, and all beings thereon; to Us will they all be returned” (19:27-40).

    Q:  Does the Qur’an say that Jesus had only a mother and no father?

    JB:Who is Eve’s father (the first woman)?  Who is Adam’s father?  If a person doesn’t have a physical human father, does this imply that he is divine or he is God?  Then Eve must have been God and Adam must have been God, because they both don’t have parents!  The Qur’an answers this question in one verse, “The similitude of Jesus before God is as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, ‘be.’ And he was.  The truth (comes) from God alone; so be not of those who doubt” (3:59-60). In accordance to this verse, it simply says that God, who was able to create Adam and Eve without a father or mother, can just as easily create Jesus without a father.  Indeed we should remember it is not only the birth of Prophet Jesus (PBUH) that is miraculous;the birth of any human being is miraculous.  If we study how the various genetic characteristics are passed on, from parents and each of their larger family gene pools to the couple’s children, we should view that as a miracle in itself.  All we can say is that it is both miraculous and unusual in the case of Prophet Jesus.

    The point to remember here is that God isn’t bound to follow the same laws that we consider to be laws of nature, because God himself created nature and these laws.  He can break the rules whenever He wishes; this of course may not necessarily be the pattern as most of the time there is harmony between what we see as natural laws and the will of God, but He has the power whenever He wants to give us certain DivineSigns that break from the norm.

    The Qur’an says, “Behold! The angels said: ‘O Mary! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honor in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah.  He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. And he shall be (of the company) of the righteous.’  She said: ‘O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man hath touched me?’ He said: ‘Even so: Allah creates what He wills: When He hath decreed a plan, He but saith to it, ‘be,’ and it is!  And Allah will teach him the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel, and (appoint him) an apostle to the Children of Israel (with this message)’” (3:45-49).

    It is obvious from this that the will of God doesn’t need a human medium to create a pregnancy.  If He decides it He can just order that a child be conceived by a virgin.  God has various unusual methods in creation and the creation of Prophet Jesus (PBUH) completes the picture.  First, was the creation of people without a father or mother, which is the case with Adam.  Then there is the creation of a human being from a man’s rib (side), which is obviously Eve.  Third, there is the normal creation of a human being, both from a mother and a father and that is every one of us.  Last, is the creation of a human being from a mother and not a father.  This beautifully completes the various miracles of God, which are all equally important and stunning.

    Q: What is the difference between Islam’s understanding of the phrase ‘Holy Spirit’ with that of Christians?

    JB:The general understanding of the Holy Spirit is influenced by Greek philosophy, particularly the Platonic ideologies. The gospel of John shows this influence quite extensively. The whole idea of God as the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost is based very closely on this same Greek philosophy that the Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is a component of God.

    The Qur’an has two different kinds of expressions for the word spirit.  The equivalent Arabic word for the word spirit is rooh’.  In reference to Jesus, in particular, we find that the Qur’an mentions that Jesus was a spirit proceeding from God.  There is also the expression of Holy Spirit/Ghost and each has a different meaning.First, let’s take what the Qur’an means when it says that Jesus was a spirit proceeding from God. Is it exclusive to Jesus or does it apply to other people as well?  The answer is that it applies to all because the word rooh’ appears in the Qur’an in meanings that relate to the context of the verse.  For example, in 42:52 the word spirit is used to refer to revelation (the Holy Book) and that it is a spirit from God.  In 58:22, for example, the spirit is used in a sense of support from God -“and strengthened them with a spirit from Himself.”  It is also used as the secret of life or the source of our spirituality.  This is what is referred to in the Qur’an in respect to Jesus (PBUH) as well as to other human beings.  Chapter 4 verse 171 mentions the spirit in reference to Jesus.  It was also mentioned in a general sense to refer to all human beings because all of us have something of the spirit of God in us.  The Qur’an says, “But He fashioned him in due proportion, and breathed into him something of His spirit” (32:9). This refers to the creation of all human beings.  This means that every human being derives his spirituality, his instinctive natural feeling of a connection with his Creator, from the spirit of God that was breathed into him at the time of creation.

    The other usage of the term Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit is actually used specifically for archangel Gabriel.  He is called Roohul Qudoos which means Holy Spirit or AlRoohul Ameen which means Honest Spirit.  The Qur’an mentions him as the angel who brought revelation to prophets in the past, including Prophet Muhammad.The Qur’an says,“We gave Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of apostles; We gave Jesus the son of Mary Clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit. Is it that whenever there comes to you an apostle with what ye yourselves desire not, ye are puffed up with pride? Some ye called impostors, and others ye slay!” (2:87).

    And in another verse, we are told:“Then will Allah say: ‘O Jesus the son of Mary! Recount My favor to thee and to thy mother. Behold! I strengthened thee with the Holy Spirit, so that thou didst speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. Behold! I taught thee the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel and behold! Thou makes out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My leave, and thou breathes into it and it becomes a bird by My leave, and thou halest those born blind, and the lepers, by My leave. And behold! Thou brings forth the dead by My leave. And behold! I did restrain the Children of Israel from (violence to) thee when thou didst show them the clear Signs, and the unbelievers among them said: ‘This is nothing but evident magic’” (5:110).All of these verses show that Roohul Qudoos is actually referring specifically to Gabriel.  According to Islam, Gabriel and all other angels are creations of Allah- they are not part of Him.  They are all servants of God just as the prophets are.

    Q: Is there any way that a Muslim can reconcile himself with the ideas of the son of God or ‘Lord’ as they are explained in Biblical literature (The New Testament)?

    JB:In all fairness to our Christian brothers and sisters, I cannot answer that question unless I explain, first, how the Bible uses the term Lord and the term son of God.  This might be the most conclusive evidence, not from a Muslim’s point of view, but from the Bible itself.Take the word Lord, everybody knows that this term doesn’t necessarily mean divine.  In England, there are many Lords but no one would say that there are so many Gods there.  Lord means master.  It is believed that this was the exact meaning people meant when they addressed Jesus as Lord in the New Testament.

    The second term is the son of God. There is ample evidence in The Old Testament that son of God is used for a person who is close to God because of his spirituality and faith, but never because of his divinity.  The Book of Exodus says that Israel was called the first born son of God (4:22-23) but nobody says that he is divine.  In the psalms of David, David is referred to as the son of God (2:7).  In the first Chronicle, Prophet Solomon is also referred to as the son of God (2:10).Ezra (Uzair in the Qur’an, see 9:30) is referred to in the Old Testament.  He lived in 450 B.C. and was regarded as a son of God because of his crucial role, during the Babylonian exile, in recollecting the law of the Torah about a thousand years after Moses.  Evidence from The Old Testament itself shows that the term son of God was used in a metaphoric sense,not in an exclusive or divine sense.

    Even The New Testament uses it in a similar way as The Old Testament.  For example, the book of Matthew says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God” (5:9). There are similar quotations in Matthew (5:45 and 23:9).  In fact, The Old Testament even uses theterm “sons”of God. In the book of Job, this term is used as a plural. It is quite apparent that when Jesus (PBUH) used the term father to refer to God or son to refer to himself, he only meant it in the metaphoric sense. He meant it in the same way that all human beings are children of God because we depend on Him and that God is the father because he loves and cares for all of us.

    Q:  What does the Qur’an have to say about the scope of the mission of Jesus Christ on earth?

    JB: The Qur’an is very clear about the fact that the mission of Prophet Jesus (PBUH) was explicitly and exclusively to guide the people of Israel.  The Qur’an says, “And (appoint him) an apostle to the Children of Israel, (with this message)” (3:49).  It also says, “O Children of Israel! I am the apostle of Allah (sent) to you” (61:6). Also, it discusses the various Israelite prophets saying, “And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Law that had come before him” (5:46). Therefore, the Qur’an is very clear about what the mission of Jesus was, and the information found in The New Testament itself attests to this fact.

    Two very explicit quotations regarding Prophet Jesus (PBUH) show the similarity between the Bible and the Qur’an on this point.  The Gospel of Matthew tells the famous story of the Canaanite woman who wanted Jesus to cure her daughter. He says, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”  He was very explicit and refused, and later on responded because of her faith (15:24). In Matthew, Jesus was giving instructions to the five disciples: “These twelve, Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel” (10:5-6). Again, he is repeating the same principle that he was sent as an Israelite prophet.  This is also implied in Matthew with a very similar confirmation (19:28).  Indeed one can say that there is no evidence in the three synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, of any clear and decisive statements quoting Jesus that his message is universal and that he was sent for all human beings.

    In fact, I would like to make two comments here to avoid any misunderstanding of these quotations.  The conclusiveness of the expressions of the words of Jesus as quoted in the Gospels definitely overshadow any claim that was developed much later on.  The words of Jesus are more credible than what developed later on when the notion of deifying Jesus gained momentum.The other observation is that although both the Qur’an and the Gospels support that Jesus’ mission was to the children of Israel, it doesn’t mean that none of his teachings can be valid and applicable for those who are not from the Israelites.  In fact, the teachings of all the prophets are relevant for all time and all people, especially concerning the moral aspects and the knowledge of God.  Even though the mission is valid for all time and people, God decided to send one final and universal message with Prophet Muhammad roughly 600 years after Prophet Jesus, may peace and blessings be upon them both.

    Q:  What are the miracles of Jesus? Does the Qur’an touch upon that?

    JB:Well of course the discussion of the virgin birth as one of the miracles has already been covered.  He was also given miracles, like other prophets, to support his mission.  The Qur’an states, “And (appoint him) an apostle to the Children of Israel, (with this message): ‘I have come to you, with a Sign from your Lord, in that I make for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allah’s leave. And I heal those born blind, and the lepers, and I quicken the dead, by Allah’s leave.And I declare to you what you eat, and what you store in your houses. Surely therein is a Sign for you if you did believe’” (3:49). Prophet Jesus’ miracles, include healing, bringing people back from the dead, and knowing what people store in their homes, are each qualified by Jesus saying“by Allah’s leave,” because God gave him this knowledge and ability.

    Q: Does the Qur’an mention that Jesus was given a divine book or the Gospel?

    JB:The Qur’an mentions a number of Holy Books or scriptures given top articular prophets. These include specific books like the Zaboor (normally interpreted as the psalms from David), the Suhoof (leaves of Prophet Abraham) and the Torah.  The Qur’an mentions the Gospel as Al Injeel, which in Arabic translates to The Good News.  The Qur’an mentions Al Injeel not only once but twelve times in six different chapters.The Qur’an mentions,in the context of other Holy Books,Al Injeel or the Gospel as a book given to Jesus.This leaves a distinct impression that the Qur’an is not referring to The Good News in general but to this specific one given to Jesus.  This may sound quite fascinating that most of our Christian brothers believe that the Gospel simply is the biography of Jesus written by the four writers and not necessarily something that was explicitly revealed to Jesus the same way it was to Muhammad or Moses.

    I have gone through some references that address, as part of Biblical studies,the comparison of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) to find what sources they are drawn from. In one reference they refer to a Gospel called “Q”which, it is hypothesized, was a source of information for the Synoptic Gospels.  This means, in accordance with Biblical studies, not Muslim sources, that there was probably an earlier Gospel from which the Synoptic Gospels were sourced. This could possibly be the original Gospel Muslims believe was given to Jesus.Let’s not forget that there is also the issue of the canonized Gospels.  The history of the Church shows that there have been large numbers of Gospels and it was only in the fourth century that the church canonized the four Gospels and the others were burned.  It is quite possible,based on both Christian and Muslim sources, that Jesus did have a separate, independent Holy book that was unfortunately lost to history.

    Q:  What about the end of his mission?  Do Muslims agree with the Christian version of Jesus’ crucifixion and ascension?

    JB:There is very little information available concerning this question; therefore I’ll stick to what the Qur’an has to say. Many of the early Christian sects disputed whether it was Jesus or Judah who had been put on the cross.The Qur’an says, “That they rejected Faith; that they uttered against Mary a grave false charge; that they said (in boast), ‘We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah’- but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow; for of a surety they killed him not. Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise” (4:156-158). According to this specific text of the Qur’an, it’s conclusive that Jesus was not the one put on the cross, no matter how commonly believed it may be.

     

    Q:  Has Jesus personally denied his divinity?

     Jamal Badawi:  The response to this question could be found in the following Qur’anic verses:“At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: ‘O Mary! Truly an amazing thing hast thou brought!  O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!’  But she pointed to the babe. They said: ‘How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?’  He said: ‘I am indeed a servant of Allah. He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet; And He hath made me blessed wherever I be, and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live; (He) hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable; So peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)!’  Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary: (it is) a statement of truth, about which they (vainly) dispute.  It is not befitting to (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! When He determines a matter, He only says to it, ‘be’, and it is.  Verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord; therefore serve Him: this is a Way that is straight.  But the sects differ among themselves: and woe to the unbelievers because of the (coming) Judgment of a Momentous Day!  How plainly will they see and hear, the Day that they will appear before Us! But the unjust today are in error manifest!  Warn them of the Day of Distress, when the matter will be determined: for (behold,) they are negligent and they do not believe!  It is We Who will inherit the earth, and all beings thereon; to Us will they all be returned” (19:27-40).

    Actually, the Quranic verses cited above point out that Jesus, himself, proclaimed his humanity and that he was a servant of Allah and a prophet, clearly not divine. He actually rebuked the people who would develop those philosophical ideas after he is gone. An example is when Satan came to Prophet Jesus and tried to tempt him as it appears in the book of Matthew (4:1-11).  Now the question is how can Satan tempt God?  This is only conceivable if the person who is subjected to temptation is a human being and that is what Jesus spoke of.  Also, on many occasions Jesus had gone to the wilderness or mountains to pray.  Now what does it mean that Jesus is praying?  He is praying to someone who is greater than himself.  He is praying to his God and Lord, and in accordance to the definition of the Trinity this doesn’t make sense. Nobody prays to himself; so why would Jesus pray to himself if he was God?

    In the book of Matthew, Jesus denies any knowledge of the unseen or the last hour (24:36).  Again the knowledge of the unseen is definitely one of the divine attributes and if somebody doesn’t know the future then he is not God – he is a human being.  He may be pious, he may be a messenger, but he is not God. Additionally, the Gospel of Mark says that when someone ran after Jesus and said ‘Good Master’ Jesus would reply, “Why do you call me good? No one is good—except God alone” (10:17- 18). Here this doesn’t mean that Jesus is not good but that goodness, in the absolute sense, is a divine attribute and that is not to be used as a description of him.  In the Gospel of John, Jesus admits and says that “father is greater than I” (14:28), which is very clear evidence he never meant that he is divine and even denied it and clarified that he is simply a human and messenger of God.  That is exactly what the Qur’an, 600 years later, confirms.

  • Marriages of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

    Marriages of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

    For any prophet to marry and beget children is quite natural. It is the norm, not the exception (Qur’an, 13:38). The practice of polygamy1 by prophets relates to their mission. Through marital bonds with different tribes and clans, prophets sought to bind various peoples together and reduce their enmity. Polygamy was practiced by many great Biblical (and Quranic) prophets, including Abraham, Jacob, David and Solomon. According to the Bible, some of these prophets are said to have had dozens of wives and concubines.2

    Unlike adultery by those who are officially “monogamous,” polygamy in itself is not immoral. It has been practiced in many cultures throughout history. It is simply another alternative form of family structure suited to certain circumstances and social needs in different times and cultures. Examples of such needs include caring for widows and orphans of victims of wars, or dealing with demographic problems such as occasional imbalances in the gender ratio. Polygamy has been practiced as well by various religious communities, including some Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

    In fact, the Quran is the only monotheistic holy book that explicitly limited, restricted, and regulated the practice of polygamy (Quran 4:3, 129). Yet, due to the wide circulation of erroneous information about Islam, many have the impression that Islam introduced this form of marriage. Among all great polygamous prophets, Prophet Muhammad is often singled out for criticism for practicing polygamy in the last few years of his life. In fact, none of his marriages raise any question about his chastity and moral excellence. Some ask, however, why Prophet Muhammad limited his followers to a maximum of four wives, while he himself exceeded that maximum.4 The question itself reflects a serious misunderstanding. These limits, as well as the exception made for the prophet, were all divine instructions in the Quran, which to Muslims is the word of God, not the word of Muhammad or his own instructions or stipulations. After all, the practice of unlimited polygamy was common and socially accepted in pre-Islamic Arabia.
    If it were true that the Prophet wished to have more than the four wives that “he restricted” his followers to, then why did he “restrict” them in the first place? Why not “live and let live”? A related question is this: Why did the Prophet limit himself to one wife, Khadijah, for the prime time of his youth and manhood, from the age of 25 until he was 50 years old when she died? This lengthy monogamous marriage spanning most of his marital life took place when polygamy was socially accepted and widely practiced and before any Quranic revelation restricting such a practice and limiting, in the general case, the number of wives to a maximum of four. To claim that the Prophet was untruthfully “making up” or forging verses in the Quran to “give himself” an exception, is inconsistent with his integrity and acknowledged truthfulness. It is also utterly contrary to reason.

    A legitimate question however is this: Why did God make such an exception for the Prophet? Like some other prophets before him, Prophet Muhammad was not only a prophet, but also the head of a community which eventually became a political entity. As the central personality of both faith and community, he was in a unique position to reconcile various warring peoples to one another, reconcile the hearts of his enemies, and fulfill his mission through the most peaceful means possible. An effective means of achieving this mission in a tribal society is bonding through marrying women from the various tribes or clans. This is one of the likely explanations of the Prophet’s marriage to Umm Habibah, daughter of his archenemy, Abu-Sufian. Umm Habibah migrated to Abbysinia with her husband due to persecution of Muslims in Makkah. Her husband became an apostate there and invited her to apostasy like him, but she refused and remained steadfast in her faith. He later died there. The Prophet offered to marry her and she accepted. Besides the humanitarian gesture toward a widow left without a provider, who had been rejected by her family due to her faith, this marriage might have softened the heart of her father, to a degree. In fact, he later embraced Islam and this helped avoid unnecessary bloodshed.

    A similar case is his marriage to Maymounah Al-Hilaaliyyah, a woman from the Najd region who was twice married before and whose people were party to the treacherous cold-blooded murder of seventy of the Quranic memorizers who were there on a peaceful educational mission. Instead of revenge and more bloodshed, the Prophet married one of their women who needed care. As a result of this act of kindness, her people were at least neutralized, and some embraced Islam.

    If it were true that the Prophet wished to have more than the four wives that “he restricted” his followers to, then why did he“restrict” them in the first place? Why not “live and let live”? A related question is this: Why did the Prophet limit himself to one wife, Khadijah, for the prime time of his youth and manhood, from the age of 25 until he was 50 years old when she died?

    To reconcile the hearts of those who fought against him and to provide an example of good treatment of war captives, the Prophet himself freed three women captives and offered to marry them. This act of magnanimity helped to blunt the hatred and enmity of their clans. The offer to be wives of the Prophet himself and become revered “Mothers of the Believers” was no small feat, and an honor for them and their clans. It was also a remarkable goodwill gesture by the Prophet toward those who unfairly showed enmity to him and spared no effort in undermining his mission. Juwairiyah, Safiyyah, and Rihaanah fall in this category. In the case of Juwairiyah, the example of the Prophet freeing her resulted in an immediate action by the victorious Muslims who freed all their captives from her tribe. They felt it inappropriate to hold the in-laws of the Prophet as war captives. Juwayriyah’s father, Al-Harith, ceased hostilities against the Muslims and later embraced Islam. This appears to be one of the measures used to free those in captivity, so as to gradually and smoothly end existing forms of slavery by drying up even the last source of captivity — war captives.
    Other marriages of the Prophet were apparently intended to cement the relationship between the Prophet and his closest friends and helpers. This category includes his marriage to Aishah and Hafsah, daughters of his closest companions, Abu-Bakr and Umar. In Hafsah’s case there was another humanitarian touch seen in other marriages of the Prophet as well — teaching the community to take care of widows. This is especially true of the widows and orphan children of those who sacrificed their lives in defense of their faith and their community. Hafsah’s former husband, Khonays, was a courageous defender in the Battle of Badr and continued to fight in spite of his injuries. He later died because of his wounds. This motive is obviously behind the Prophet’s marriage to other martyrs’ widows such as Zainab Bint Khozaymah (who died shortly after her marriage to him) and Um Salamah, who had four children to look after following the martyrdom of her husband. The same caring attitude applies to his marriage to Sawdah, an elderly widow he married after the death of his first wife Khadijah. This marriage opened the hearts of many of her clan to Islam.
    One of the Prophet’s marriages, to Zainab, daughter of Jahsh, was obviously for a legislative reason. Zainab was a cousin of the Prophet. He persuaded her to marry his freed slave and former “adopted son” Zaid. The apparent reason for his encouragement, in spite of her reluctance, was to break the attitude of aristocracy where a person from a noble stock would not consider marrying a commoner. The Prophet sought to affirm the egalitarian nature of Islam whereby a person should be evaluated only on the basis of his/her qualities of character and moral conduct, not on the basis of his/her socio-economic status. Marital problems between Zaid and Zainab led eventually to divorce. The Arabs considered an adopted son the same as a biological son. They gave him his adopting father’s name, a custom that the Quran invalidated, demanding truthful lineal identity (Quran 33:4-5; 40). No one other than the Prophet could have contravened the established custom of adoption and implement a new divine law.

    A careful study of the Quran indicates that the Prophet was commanded to initiate this change in a practical manner by marrying Zainab, the divorcee of his former “adopted son” Zaid (Quran 33: 37-39). Some writers forsook the most authentic source of the Prophet’s life, the Quran, in favor of less authentic narrations even though some normally reliable historians reported it. According to these often contradictory narrations, Zaid divorced his wife so that the Prophet could legitimately marry her. Aside from the inauthenticity of the story and its contradiction to the Quranic explanation, it is totally illogical. Zainab, after all, was a cousin of the Prophet and he knew her for decades as a close relative. She would have been most honored to accept to marry the Prophet if he had wished. Why would the Prophet persuade her to marry his former slave, to dwell with him as her husband, then divorce so that the Prophet can marry her? If he had some deep inclination to marry her, why not do so before she lived with another man as his wife?5

    Another criticism of the Prophet relates to his marriage to Aisha, daughter of his companion, Abu-Bakr. Some point out that in the collection of Hadeeth by Bukhari, Aisha reported that her marital contract took place when she was six years old, and that she did not live with the Prophet until three years later, after migration to Madinah. Some refer to this marriage as “child molestation” or “pedophilia.” One wonders how such a respectable well-to-do father as Abu-Bakr would give his beloved daughter Aisha to be “molested,” and with the blessings of Aisha’s own mother. And how come none of the watchful critics and archenemies of the Prophet ever raised any question about this marriage, even though, like some of today’s critics, they were eager to find any fault with which to discredit the Prophet? This signifies that the Arab culture at that time, just as in other cultures and historical periods, considered adolescence as an acceptable age for marriage (in addition to the fact that puberty might take place earlier in some cultures). The fact that that there was a three-year gap between the marital agreement and the dwelling of Aisha with the Prophet seems to support the existence of this custom. In fact, Aisha was engaged to another individual before her parents decided to marry her to the Prophet instead. This shows how common it was to marry at a young age. Needless to say, the successive increase of the minimum marriageable age, after reaching adolescence, is an arbitrary matter based on cultural and social norms, subject to change with time, culture, and other circumstances.

    It should be noted that the special exception to the Prophet concerning the maximum number of wives (Quran 33: 50) includes also special restrictions on him and his wives related to privileges available to all others. For example, his wives, as “Mothers of the Believers,” were not allowed to remarry after him (Quran 33: 53). If the Prophet were required to divorce wives beyond the maximum of four, it would have done them an injustice — to be divorced and disallowed to remarry. Furthermore, for each of the Prophet’s marriages there was a specific lesson, social or legislative. By divorcing some of his wives, those lessons would be effectively negated, especially the unifying function of marrying women from different clans and backgrounds. This diversity allowed close observation of his private life and teachings, allowing the wives to communicate them to their respective folks. Also, unlike any ordinary Muslim, the Prophet was not allowed to divorce any of his wives and marry others (33:52).

    In conclusion, it should be noted that when it comes to the Prophet’s chastity, self-control, and moral excellence, there is no match. His role is a universal, virtuous, and practical one. He kept his chastity as an unmarried youth, maintained real and faithful monogamy for 25 years, during the prime years of his youth and manhood. Even when he practiced polygamy, he did so for humanitarian and diplomatic reasons during the last few and waning years of his life. His extraordinary schedule and responsibilities, his regular lengthy night prayers, his amazing spiritual leadership and pragmatic achievements in a short span of years — all that precludes any notion of obsession with worldly pleasures. Caring for women, especially older ones, and for their orphan children, within the context of a marital relationship, is scarcely to be considered a sensual motive for polygamy, especially in a social setting where many widows and orphans were left without support and protection. Those who try to blemish the noble character of the Prophet only blemish their own objectivity and sense of fairness. May Allah cure their hearts of hatred, borne of ignorance and pre-conceived stereotypes; and may He help all learn from the inspiring lives of the great prophets instead of unfairly and ignorantly reviling any of them. Thankfully, the majority of people do not share the “logic” of those who take a prejudicial, offensive, and hateful stance.

    Those from other faith communities who speak up against denigration of the Prophet, and demonstrate their support of mutual respect and peaceful co-existence, should be commended. Peace be upon all those who follow the guidance of God, manifest His love in deeds as well as words, and sincerely promote human brotherhood and mutual understanding.

    Footnotes:
    A more correct term is polygyny since the term polygamy includes multiple wives (polygyny) or multiple husbands (polyandry). The latter form is not permissible in Islam. However, since the term “polygyny” is unfamiliar to many, the term “polygamy” is used to refer to “polygyny” only.
    See for example, 2 Samuel 5:13 and 1 Kings 11:3 in the Bible.
    See for example, Edward A. Westermarck, The History of Human Marriage, (5th Edition), Macmillan and Co., London, 1935, Vol. 3, pp. 42-43; also T.K. Cheney and S. Black (Editors), Encyclopedia Biblica, Macmillan, London, 1935, Vol.3, p. 2946.
    The total number of consorts of the prophet throughout his life was thirteen. Two of them died in his lifetime (Khadijah and Zainab, daughter of Khozaimah). For 25 years his only wife was Khadijah. For another 3 years the only wife living with him was Sawdah since Aisha was still in her father’s home. For another two years, the wives living with the Prophet were Aishah and Sawdah. The polygamous period was mainly during the last seven years of his life.
    For a more detailed treatment of this and other marriages of the Prophet, check: www.islamicity.com/multimedia/Radio/RA200. Scroll under “Series L: Muhammad the Last Messenger of Allah” to programs 41-50. For a general treatment of gender issues, check the author’s Gender Equity in Islam at: www.Jannah.net.

  • Zakat and Distributive Justice

    Zakat and Distributive Justice

    Dr. Jamal Badawi gave a series of talks in Canada years ago titled “Islam in Focus.” Dr. Badawi researched, designed, and presented a 352-segment television series on Islam, which was shown by many local TV stations in Canada, the US, and other countries around the world. This is a transcript of one of his talks on zakah, one of the five pillars of Islam. It is being reproduced here for its high value and importance, as zakah is a religious obligation and a socioeconomic instrument that can help solve many problems in the world today and serve as a foundation in the campaign to establish social and economic justice in society.

    What is the view of Islam on the use of a middle-person or broker?

    In principle there is no problem with this. If a person has a function as a middle-person and is getting paid for it, there is nothing wrong with it. There is one thing that Islam restricts which is people acting as middle-persons in order to exploit people’s lack of knowledge and information.

    To put it in economic terms, Islam insists on the free flow of information between buyer and seller. An example of this was reported in Al-Bukhari that the Prophet Muhammad tried to put a stop where a seller is on his way to sell his products and someone intercepts him before he reaches the market offering to buy it at a price and takes it and sells it at a much higher price. This was forbidden because the idea here is that the seller should come to the market first, find out what the going rate is for his goods and then determine how much he wants to sell it for. Otherwise any act of helping people with free flow of information is not restricted. In today’s complex economy one cannot do away with all middle persons but they can be reduced and provide open information.

    How does Islam attempt to achieve justice both in terms of distribution of commodities as well as in distribution of income?

    The most important means is zakah, which I translate as institutionalized charity. Second, there is voluntary charity. Third, there is the possibility of additional taxes beyond the minimum required institutionalized charity. It could also be achieved through the laws of inheritance which are basically some of the major means of achieving social justice and more equitable distribution of income in society. This not only covers equitable distribution of commodities but equitable distribution of income.

    What is the meaning of the term zakah?

    In the series about the pillars of Islam, in the seventh program we dealt with zakah as a basic pillar of Islam so we will refer to some of the material we covered there. Zakah is one of the five pillars of Islam which has been mentioned in the Qur’an in conjunction with prayers which is one of the most important requirements for Muslims. There are more than 80 verses in the Qur’an that mention it. It is mentioned that those who pay zakah are rewarded by God and those who do not are punished by God.

    In the Qur’an in verses 24:56, 2:24, 9:34, and 51:15-9 we find vivid pictures showing zakah as an institution in a truly Islamic society. Zakah means purification and growth. It is purification because it helps purify one’s self from selfishness and miserliness and it results in blessings. The blessings are not just spiritual but also growth and economic blessing. I am trying to emphasize that aside from any other aspect of zakah it has to first be based on faith in God, love of God, the feeling of responsibility as the trustee of God on earth and that whatever property we have is a trust given to us and we have to dispense of it in ways which are pleasing and acceptable to Him.

    Zakah or institutionalized charity is partly spiritual but it is not only spiritual – that would make it like any religion which calls people to be charitable. Zakah in Islam is unique as it is a combination of the spiritual ethical aspect as well as the meticulous organization and institutionalization aspects which are social, political, and economic.

    Why is zakah more comprehensive than charity in other teachings?

    A good reference that deals with this is a doctoral dissertation by Dr. Yusuf Al-Qaradawi which appears in a two-volume work, which is one of the most comprehensive works on zakah, called Fiqh al-Zakah or understanding of zakah. In this reference one can easily point out the social aspect of zakah. In a way, zakah can be regarded as a sort of social insurance against involuntary unemployment, against the inability to work, against certain disasters or unfortunate events that may take place. This would give a feeling of brotherhood, solidarity in society which would reduce jealousy, would reduce class struggle, and it makes members of society feel that they belong and enriches the feeling of belonging so that not too many people feel anti society and who might be driven to crime.

    In a way it is psychological also because it trains the individual to have feelings of social concern and to stop the apathy that is destroying societies today. It makes the person feel a part of the system. It is not like other pension systems because in many of those schemes it depends on how much one contributed and whether or not one contributed. In the Islamic system regardless of one’s contribution, one is entitled to this social security. Second, it could be regarded as a political system because zakah can be regarded as a mechanism which joins the various segments of society and the various groups within society with the view of serving their interest and concern. Perhaps one of the most important elements of zakah is economical.

    First of all, the system of zakah in Islam is one of the important means of fighting one of the greatest enemies of mankind – poverty, which is an international problem. It tries to fight poverty without killing individual initiative as it recognizes that people can have differences in their capabilities and talents. Islam doesn’t insist on superficial and full equality where everyone must give the same amount. In the meantime, it tries to work to reduce the gaps between rich and poor so that it allows for initiative but also looks after the needs of those who are in need.

    A second economic aspect is that zakah being a regular annual determined thing provides for a stable source of income for the State to meet certain expenses and needs. A third aspect which is not as clear but is very important because of its economic implications is that by its very nature the system of zakah forces the individual to invest his money and discourages hoarding of money. Zakah is imposed every year and if money is not invested one will keep paying the required charity on it till they lose it. This in a way provides strong inducement to use it and not withhold it from circulation. As we have indicated in previous programs, many economists believe that this is essential for the health of the economy because if people keep wealth from being used, then we get depression and many economic problems.

    When people invest their money this provides jobs and general prosperity in the economy. No wonder that we find many who study the system of zakah in Islam (both Muslims and non-Muslims) conclude that the system of zakah is quite unique and has never been preceded before by any other law or religious teaching in its comprehensiveness.

    Could you clarify the main difference between zakah and taxes?

    The reason that zakah is mixed up with taxes is due to the fact that even though they have differences, they also have some similarities. There are at least three similarities. Both zakah and taxes are compulsory. Second, both are collected by a given authority, i.e., government. Third, both are collected from members of society and are not collected because a specific service was received but is from members of society who are part of the total social solidarity.

    There are also definitely basic and fundamental differences between zakah and taxes. First of all, as indicated earlier the very term zakah means blessing and purification and should be paid essentially as a matter of worship. This makes it quite different from taxes, because if one feels that you are paying your fair share and you are doing it out of your obligation towards God, you don’t try to find ways to evade it like with taxes.

    We find an interesting example that was narrated in Ahmad and Al-Tabarani in Al-Kabir when some individuals came to the Prophet Muhammad and he was not aware that they gained wealth and they said: “We have this additional wealth and we would like to purify it, so please tell us how to pay zakah on it?” This happens because zakah is not something that the State imposes [just for economic reasons] and people know that they do this out of worship and obedience to God. A second basic difference is that when we talk about taxes it is dependent on the government which is determined by the need of the country or by the whims of those in power. In the case of zakah, the Qur’an itself, which is the Word of God, establishes its principles and the teachings of the Prophet determine a specific percentage of zakah which nobody has the right to change.

    Zakah has to have a separate budget as it is directed to certain specified purposes as are specified in the Qur’an, of which there are eight categories, and is not automatically used by the State for other expenditures. A third difference is that the system of zakah is much more stable and constant because of the lack of argument about the rate. We should add that an interesting feature of the system of zakah in Islam is that it is money collected from those who are able to afford it and goes to the poor. In the system of taxation, it is usually imposed on everybody and a big burden falls on the middle class and the poor. Taxes sometimes have a reverse effect as those who are wealthy can get many tax breaks if they know how to play the game and in a way the poor finance the rich. In Islam zakah is strictly taken from those who are able to pay in order to help those who are in need.

    Is Zakah based on capital or on income?

    We cannot say that the system of zakah is an income tax because not every item of one’s income is subject to zakah. For example the part of one’s income that is used for basic needs such as food, clothing, housing, and transportation is not subject to zakah. Zakah is primarily imposed on your net worth but avoids taxes which are imposed on capital. Many people say if you impose taxes on capital then you are discouraging people from saving or investing. This is not the case in Islam for three reasons. One, zakah in Islam is imposed on property which is potentially growing. To clarify, there is no zakah due on the jewelry that a woman keeps for her personal use because this is something that doesn’t give additional wealth but is there for her use. There is no zakah on one’s professional tools. There is no zakah on one’s principal residence or car. Even if you are a merchant, you pay zakah on articles of trade not on fixed assets.

    Second, it is very modest and reasonable and is most commonly 2.5% and there is a minimum which is exempt and is usually estimated at about 85 grams of gold or the equivalent in money. I should add that there may be certain types of zakah which are imposed on income that comes from agriculture or self employment. It is not exclusively an income or capital based tax.

    With today’s economy there is no way that the government expenditures can be financed with only 2.5%, so how do we respond to the skeptics?

    First of all, the tax rates in Western economy of 25%-30%, we are talking about income tax which is imposed on the income. In Islam, zakah is imposed on the net worth which is much more than an income that someone gets in a particular year. If for example a person has five or six high rises that he rents out, he will pay zakah on his net worth not just on the income. Historically speaking, as we mentioned in a previous program, during the reign of Umar ibn Abdul Aziz near the end of the first century of Hijrah, zakah from North Africa was collected and there weren’t enough poor people to claim it, which is why he instructed the local ruler to buy slaves and set them free.

    Historically, this did happen and I am sure that even today if we just took the Muslim world and Muslims were true to their faith and everybody pays the 2.5% on their net worth, I am sure not a single person would be left hungry or in need. However, we are not saying that zakah is the exclusive source of income for a government as there is money that can be collected on the produce of the land, jiziah (the equivalent of zakah which non-Muslims pay which allows them to share in the overall cost of running the State), property that no one claims or inherits, and if need be, there can be additional taxes beyond zakah.

    Is the 2.5% flexible? And if so what is the basis for it?

    Zakah is a stable thing and no one has the right to change it because it was given in Revelation. If we open the door for zakah to be flexible, every government can exploit that and we would get unjust rulers who play around with it. This 2.5% is very reasonable, permanent, and not excessive. In the meantime we find that Islam allowed a just tax to be collected by the government if there is a need for it and if the amount of zakah is not enough. First, they have to start from zakah and if it is not enough then they can move to other things. There are a number of evidences in the Qur’an that speak about paying zakah and about being charitable which we find in verse 2:177.

    The Prophet Muhammad said as is narrated in Al-Tirmidhi that in your property there is a claim beyond the amount of zakah, and this is a very sound and strong tradition. There are also additional texts that indicate that zakah is not the bare minimum. At the same time there must be a genuine need for the additional funds beyond zakah and the burden should be distributed in an equitable way and it should be spent wisely and done after the approval and consent of the people.

  • A Quest for Understanding the Islamic Moral Code

    A Quest for Understanding the Islamic Moral Code

    Dr. Jamal Badawi is one of the foremost Islamic scholars of North America. Currently, he is “Professor Emeritus” at St. Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. During its May, 2008 Convocation, Saint Mary’s University granted him an Honorary Doctorate of Civil Law in recognition of his promotion of “a better understanding of Islam” and contribution ” to civil society around the world.”Dr. Badawi is the author of several works on Islam, including books, monographs, and articles. Some of his works have been translated into several languages. In addition to his participation in lectures, seminars, and interfaith dialogues in North America, Dr. Badawi has been frequently invited as guest speaker on Islam in nearly 38 other countries. He serves on the boards of the Islamic Fiqh Council of North America, The European Council of Fatwa and Research and the International Union of Muslim Scholars.

    The main objective is to build or create an Islamic personality, a personality which lives by its deep faith in God and in loving, conscious submission and commitment to God.

    Q What are the major objectives of the Islamic moral code?

    A The main objective is to build or create an Islamic personality, a personality which lives by its deep faith in God and in loving, conscious submission and commitment to God. We want to create a personality which is nourished by divine love and restrained from temptation by the fear of displeasing God, a personality which understands and accepts its role and mission on earth as trustee of God. This would give the personality a sense of responsibility, sense of direction, clarity of vision and meaning to their existence on earth. Now if we have a large number of people who meet these criteria or are close to it we would form an Islamic community which is involved in ordaining the good and fighting off the evil and injustice in society. In other words it is not just individual salvation or individual moral elevation but something that needs to be done at a collective level within society in order for the human race as a whole to participate in fulfilling this responsibility of being the trustee of God. There is no wonder that we find that the last Prophet of Islam, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), said in a famous hadith narrated in the collection of Malik “I was sent in order to perfect moral quality to bring perfection, completeness and comprehensiveness into the highest and most noble moral qualities that have been preached by all the prophets.”

    Q How does the Islamic moral code relate to faith?

    A Some people tend to feel that faith and moral conduct don’t have a one-to-one type of relationship. This is not so in Islam as any reform at an individual or social level must start with moral transformation. Some might appeal to patriotism, the power of the law or fear of punishment by political authorities to encourage people to practice or follow the moral code. However, if one really wants to have any profound moral elevation or a reform which is not temporary, the civilization must be concurrent with the moral code that was revealed by God. We find that the Quran has its own unique way of interpreting history. One verse in the Quran (13:11) says “Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves [with their own souls].” We can talk about change in society, building this institution, removing that institution or reforming that system but it is all superficial until people change what is in their own hearts and their own commitment to God. Another place where this is found in the Quran is in (8:53): “Because Allah will never change the grace which He hath bestowed on a people until they change what is in their [own] souls.” This shows an interpretation of history and the rise and fall of different civilizations in the past and how many times, just like our present civilization, where God endows people with plenty of blessings, resources, richness and luxuries that no previous generations enjoyed but it all can be destroyed because this blessing can be changed if people change themselves and become ungrateful and disgraceful.

    We find that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) answered the question of morals and faith in a very eloquent way in a few of his sayings. In a narration by Ahmad, one time the Prophet asked the people around him “Who among you is the most beloved by me and who will be the closest to me on the Day of Judgment?” They asked “Who would it be?” He replied “The best of you in manners and morals?” In the collection of hadith by Al-Tabarani the Prophet said that “Among the believers who are most complete in belief are the best in behavior.” In this case faith and behavior go hand in hand. In dozens of places, whenever the Quran addresses faith it also addresses good deeds. An example that is found in the Quran is “those who believe and do righteous good deeds.” Another saying by the Prophet is that “Faith is not something that comes by wishful thinking but is something that is entrenched in the heart and is confirmed by deeds.”

    Q What is the relationship of the moral code to acts of worship?

    A A Muslim’s entire life can be a continuous act of worship so long as it is done with good intentions and within the boundaries that God has placed. In Islam there are five pillars and we will take prayer, which is preformed five times a day, as an example. If one tries to relate prayer to morals one will discover that what is meant by them is not the mere ritual or movement but the whole act of prayers is a type of moral training. Prayers are moral training on a conscious loving submission to the will of God, humbleness before God, and a reminder for the individual to keep away from evil. In the Quran in (29:45) it says, “Prayer restrains from shameful and unjust deeds; and remembrance of Allah is the greatest [thing in life] without doubt. And Allah knows the [deeds] that you do.” In another collection of hadith by Al-Bazzar it is reported that God says that “I accept prayers only from those who humble themselves before My Glory, did not oppress any of My creatures, those who did not spend the night [repenting] while insisting on something wrong and immoral that they have done, those who remember Me during the day, those who are kind and merciful to the destitute, wayfarer, the widow, and those who are compassionate to those who are suffering or injured.” This is the essence of what is meant by the prayer.

    Another pillar of Islam is the zakah, or payment of poor’s dues. The intention behind zakah is not a kind of tax that one has to pay reluctantly and grudgingly. Zakah in essence relates to morality because it is a religious duty, not just something that is imposed by the state. It represents the expression of love, compassion, and mutual concern towards people who are less fortunate. An example of this is found in the Quran in (9:103): “Of their goods, take alms, so you might purify and sanctify them.” It purifies from the feeling of selfishness and lack of concern for others. Again the same term used for charity is used not only for paying money to those who are needy but as the prophet of Islam says “A good word is also an act of charity.”

    Fasting is another pillar of Islam and again the idea behind it is not only to temporarily restrain one’s self from food and drink from dawn to sunset. Like the Prophet said that some people fast and the only benefit they get from their fast is hunger and thirst, while the main moral lesson in fasting is training of the person to permanently restrain from evil. This is why the Quran in (2:183) says that “Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may [learn] self-restraint.”

    Finally, hajj, the pilgrimage, is not about traveling and wearing specific clothing and going through certain rights. Pilgrimage is full of lessons of moral behavior [such as] patience, and the meeting of roughly two million people in the same place going through the same difficulties and being patient with one another. The Quran in (2:197) requires there be no argument or indecency during the pilgrimage. If we look at the acts of worship which are purely acts of devotion and worship aside from the rest of a person’s life, we find that the connection between worship and the moral codes is so strong that they are just inseparable.

    Q What is Islam’s stand on people who are active in their acts of worship but their personal behavior does not seem to be consistent with their apparent devotion?

    A The Quran does not separate belief from actions. From an Islamic point of view the lack of practice of the moral code in one’s life is an evidence of weak faith regardless of what the person claims to be. The real evidence of faith is its translation into actions and real concrete behavior on the part of the individual. Answers to this question can be found in some of the beautiful sayings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Some people mentioned to the Prophet “Such and such woman prays a lot, pays lots of charity, and fasts beyond the minimum required fasting; however she seems to have the habit of hurting her neighbors with her tongue.” He replied, “She is in the hellfire.” All her worship did not make up for the lack of moral behavior. Then they asked him about “A woman who prays the minimum and a little bit more, doesn’t fast as much, and she doesn’t pay as much in charity (all the charity she can give are small pieces of cheese) but she doesn’t hurt her neighbors.” He said “She is in paradise.” So in this case the woman made less acts of worship but there was still clear evidence of faith.

    In a narration by Muslim, Prophet Muhammad said to his companions, “Do you know who is truly bankrupt?” They answered that the bankrupt one is someone who doesn’t have any money or property. He replied “No the one who is really bankrupt is the one who comes in the Day of Judgment with impressive things in his record like prayers, charity and all that and he cursed and swore at such and such a person, made false accusations against such and such person, he usurped unjustly the property of such and such a person, killed such and such person and beaten such and such person. All this person’s acts of credit will be taken and given by way of retribution to those whom he wronged until all the deeds that should have helped him get into paradise are exhausted and when there are still people who have been wronged by him who did not get their rights, then God will take from their evil deeds and add them to his own till he is thrown into the fire.”

    In another collection of hadith by Al-Bayhaqi, Prophet Muhammad said, “Good character and moral conduct melts sins and mistakes as water melts ice.” We all know we are sinners but by good deeds we can reconcile ourselves to God. Actually in this hadith he was echoing a verse in the Quran which says “Good deeds wipe away sins.” The Prophet continued that “bad character spoils good deeds just like vinegar spoils honey.” Like I said earlier, we are not saying moral character and good behavior is a substitute for faith as one can act nicely but because of rejection of faith or God, he could be in trouble. Neither one is a replacement of the other; both should go hand-in-hand.

     

    Q Should moral codes be updated to take into consideration new circumstances or contemporary approach?

    A If what is meant has to do with updating the fundamental principals or foundations of the moral code then the answer is definitely no. If what is meant by this is the extension of the application of the moral code or adapting the application, not the principle, then the answer is yes. When we talk about the fundamental injunctions as explained in the Quran and the sayings and deeds of Prophet Muhammad, the source of this information is revelation which comes from God. If any human being says that we are more up-to-date than God, this means they are claiming knowledge that exceeds the knowledge of God. The point that is to be made is that the basic principals that come from revelation are not bound to time. No human being, no institution religious or otherwise, no group of scholars can meet in a convention and decide to do this or that. Indeed if we open the door for this kind of relativism of our moral principles, then if people’s biases and deviations go down a certain way, then the moral standards would follow the same path and we would have nothing firm to stand upon. Islam tells us to hold firm to the revelation of God as it contains ultimate wisdom. And instead of lowering the morals, let’s elevate people’s moral behavior so that they come close to these standards. Islam is in no way against dynamic change in society; but [at the same time], if we start tampering with fundamental principles, we will have no structure and no foundation to stand on.

     

  • The Truth About the Marriages of the Prophet (pbuh)

    The Truth About the Marriages of the Prophet (pbuh)

    For any prophet to marry and beget children is quite natural. It is the norm, not the exception (Qur’an, 13:38). The practice of polygamy by prophets throughout history is often related to their mission. Through marital bonds with different tribes and clans, prophets sought to unite various peoples and reduce or eliminate their enmity. Polygamy was practiced by many great prophets including Abraham, Jacob, David, and Solomon. According to the Bible, some of these prophets are said to have had dozens of wives and concubines.

    It should be noted that when it comes to the Prophet’s conjugal fidelity, self-control, and moral excellence, there is no match. He kept his chastity as an unmarried youth, maintained real and faithful monogamy throughout the prime years of his manhood, for a full 25 years of marriage to Khadijah

    Unlike adultery by those who are officially “monogamous,” polygamy in itself is not immoral. It has been practiced in many cultures throughout history. It is simply an alternative form of family structure suited to certain circumstances and social needs in different times and cultures. Examples of such needs include caring for widows and orphans following wars or dealing with demographic problems such as occasional imbalance in the gender ratio. Polygamy has been practiced as well by various religious communities, including some Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

    In fact, the Qur’an is the only monotheistic Scripture that explicitly limited, restricted, and regulated the then unregulated practice of polygamy (Qur’an, 4:3, 129). Yet, due to the wide circulation of erroneous information about Islam, many have the impression that Islam introduced this form of marriage or was a unique case of allowing its practice. Among all the polygamous prophets, Prophet Muhammad is often singled out for criticism, even though he was monogamous for most of his adulthood and practiced polygamy only in the last few years of his life.

    Those who try to blemish the noble character of the Prophet only impugn their own objectivity and sense of fairness

    Some ask, however, why Prophet Muhammad limited his followers to a maximum of four wives, while he himself exceeded that maximum. The question itself reflects a serious misunderstanding. These limits, as well as the exception for the prophet to the limit of four, were all divine instructions revealed in the Qur’an, which to Muslims is the word of God, not the word of Muhammad. After all, the practice of unlimited polygamy was common and socially accepted in pre-Islamic Arabia. Those who believe that Muhammad himself instituted the restrictions and his own exception might ask themselves: If it were true that the Prophet wished to have more than the four wives that “he restricted” his followers to, then why did he “restrict” them in the first place? Why not “live and let live”? A related question is this: Why did the Prophet limit himself to one wife, Khadijah, for the prime time of his manhood, from the age of 25 until he was 50 years old when she died? This lengthy monogamous marriage spanning most of his marital life took place when polygamy was socially accepted and widely practiced and before any Qur’anic revelation restricting such a practice and limiting the number of wives to a maximum of four. To claim that the Prophet was untruthfully “making up” or forging verses in the Qur’an to give himself an exception, is inconsistent with his unanimously acknowledged integrity and truthfulness. It is also utterly contrary to reason.
    A legitimate question, however, is this: Why did God make such an exception for the Prophet? Like some other prophets before him, Prophet Muhammad was not only a prophet, but also the leader of a community and eventually of an organized political entity. As the central personality of both faith and community, he was in a unique position to reconcile various warring peoples to one another, reconcile the hearts of his own enemies, and fulfill his mission through the most peaceful means possible. An effective way of achieving this mission in a tribal society is bonding together people through marrying women from the various tribes or clans.

    This is one of the likely explanations of the Prophet’s marriage to Umm Habibah, daughter of his archenemy, Abu-Sufian. Umm Habibah migrated to Abyssinia with her husband due to persecution of the Muslims in Makkah. Her husband chose to become an apostate there and invited her to join him but she refused and remained steadfast in her faith. He later died there. The Prophet proposed marriage to her and she accepted. Besides the humanitarian gesture toward a widow without protection or support, who was already rejected by her family due to her faith, this marriage could potentially soften the heart of her father. In fact, Abu-Sufian later embraced Islam and helped avoid unnecessary bloodshed.

    A similar case is his marriage to Maymounah Al-Hilaaliyyah, a woman from the Najd region who was twice married before and whose people were party to the treacherous, cold-blooded murder of seventy of the Qur’anic memorizers who were there on a peaceful educational mission. Instead of revenge and more bloodshed, the Prophet married one of their women who needed care. As a result of this kindness, her people were at least neutralized and some embraced Islam.

    To reconcile the hearts of those who fought against him and to give a good example of dealing with war captives, the Prophet himself freed three women captives and offered to marry them. This act of magnanimity helped to blunt the hatred and enmity of their clans. The offer to be wives of the Prophet and become revered “Mothers of the Believers” was no small overture and quite an honor for the women and their clans. It was also a remarkable goodwill gesture by the Prophet toward those who had unfairly showed enmity to him and spared no effort in undermining his mission. Juwairiyah, Saffiyah, and Rihaanah fall into this category. In the case of Juwairiyah, the example of the Prophet freeing her resulted in an immediate action by the Muslims who freed all their captives from her tribe. Juwayriyah’s father, Al-Harith, ceased hostilities against Muslims and later embraced Islam. This illustrates one of the measures used to free those in captivity and gradually and smoothly end all existing forms of slavery, drying up even the last source of captivity — war captives.

    Other marriages of the Prophet were apparently intended to cement the relationship between the Prophet and his closest friends and followers. This category includes his marriage to Aishah and Hafsah, daughters of his closest companions, Abu-Bakr and Umar. In Hafsah’s case, there was another humanitarian motive, seen in other marriages of the Prophet as well — teaching the community to take care of widows. This is especially true of the widows and orphan children of those who sacrificed their lives in defense of their faith and their community. Hafsah’s former husband, Khonays, courageously fought in the Battle of Badr and continued to fight even after he suffered serious injuries. This same motive, to provide for women whose husbands were killed in battle, is obviously behind the Prophet’s marriage to other widows such as Zainab Bint Khozaymah (who died shortly after her marriage to him) and Umm Salamah, who had four children to look after following the death of her husband. The same caring intention applies to his marriage to Sawdah, an elderly widow he married after the death of his first wife Khadijah. This marriage opened the hearts of many of her clan to Islam.
    One of the Prophet’s marriages was obviously for a legislative reason — his marriage to Zainab daughter of Jahsh. Zainab was a cousin of the Prophet. He persuaded her to marry his freed slave and former “adopted son” Zaid. The apparent reason for his encouragement, in spite of her reluctance, was to break the attitude of aristocracy where a person from a noble stock would never consider marrying a commoner. The prophet sought to affirm the egalitarian nature of Islam where a person should be evaluated only on the basis of his/her qualities and moral conduct, not on the basis of his/her socio-economic status. Marital problems between Zaid and Zainab led eventually to divorce. During this time in Arabia, an adopted son was considered the same as a biological son. He would be given his adopting father’s name, a custom that the Qur’an invalidated as it demanded truthful lineal identity (Qur’an, 33:4-5; 40). Since this custom of giving an adopted son the father’s name was so entrenched in the society, the Prophet was the perfect exemplar to implement the new divine law. A careful study of the Qur’an describes such a reason. It indicates that the Prophet was commanded to initiate this change in a practical manner by marrying Zainab, the divorcee of his former “adopted son” Zaid (Qur’an, 33: 37-39). Since a man is prohibited from marrying the former (divorced) wife of his biological son, the marriage to Zainab established the fact that an “adopted son” is not the same as a biological son. Some writers forsook the most authentic source of the Prophet’s life, the Qur’an, in favor of auxiliary narrations reported by generally reliable historians, narrations which, nonetheless, must be considered as less than authentic since they contradict the Qur’an. According to these various narrations, often contradictory in details one to another, Zaid divorced his wife so that the Prophet could legitimately marry her. Aside from the in authenticity of the story and its contradiction to the Qur’anic explanation, it is totally illogical. Zainab, after all was a cousin of the Prophet and he saw and knew her for decades as a close relative. She would have been most honored to marry the Prophet if he wished that. Why would the Prophet persuade her to marry his former slave and “adopted son,” then have Zaid divorce her so that the Prophet could marry her? Why not simply marry her rather than encouraging her marriage to another man?

    Another criticism of the Prophet relates to his marriage to Aisha, daughter of his companion Abu-Bakr. Some point out that in the collection of hadeeth by Bukhari, Aisha reported that her marital contract took place when she was six years old, and that she did not live with the Prophet until three years later, after migration to Madinah. Some refer to this marriage as “child molestation” or “pedophilia.” One wonders how such a well-to-do respectable father as Abu-Bakr would give his beloved daughter Aisha to be “molested” and with the blessings of her own mother? And how come none of the watchful critics and archenemies of the Prophet during his own time ever raised any question about this marriage, even though they were, like some of today’s critics, eager to find any fault that could discredit the Prophet? This signifies that the marriageable age in that culture at that time, a sin in other cultures and times as well, including in medieval Europe, considered reaching puberty as an acceptable age for marriage. The fact that there was a three-year gap between the marital agreement and the dwelling of Aisha with the Prophet seems to support the existence of this custom. In fact, Aisha was engaged to another person before her parents decided to marry her to the Prophet instead. This shows how common this practice was. Needless to say, the successive increase of the minimum marriageable age after reaching puberty is based on cultural and social norms, which are subject to change with time, culture, and other circumstances.

    It should be noted that the special exception to the Prophet concerning the maximum number of wives (Qur’an, 33:50) includes also special restrictions on him and his wives regarding allowances available to all others. For example, his wives, as “Mothers of the Believers,” were not allowed to remarry after him (Qur’an 33:53). If the Prophet were required to divorce wives beyond the maximum of four, it would have done them injustice —these women would be divorced yet disallowed to remarry. Furthermore, for each of the Prophet’s marriages there was a specific lesson, social or legislative, as discussed above. By divorcing any one or more of his wives, those lessons would effectively be negated, especially the unifying function of marrying women from different clans and backgrounds. This diversity allowed close observation of his private life and teachings by women from the various tribes who would then communicate them to their respective folk. Also, unlike any other Muslim, the Prophet was not allowed to divorce any of his wives and marry others (Qur’an 33:52).

    In conclusion, it should be noted that when it comes to the Prophet’s conjugal fidelity, self-control, and moral excellence, there is no match. He kept his chastity as an unmarried youth, maintained real and faithful monogamy throughout the prime years of his manhood, for a full 25 years of marriage to Khadijah. Even when he practiced polygamy, he did so for humanitarian and reconciliatory reasons, and only in the last few and waning years of his life. His extraordinary schedule and responsibilities, his regular lengthy night prayers, his amazing achievements in such a short time, all that precludes any notion of obsession with worldly pleasures. Supporting and protecting women, especially older widows and their children, within the context of marriage, is necessarily and undoubtedly from a motive other than a sensual one. Those who try to blemish the noble character of the Prophet only impugn their own objectivity and sense of fairness. May Allah cure their hearts from hatred borne of ignorance and pre-conceived stereotypes; and may He guide all whose hearts are open to learning from the inspiring lives of the great prophets. Peace be upon all human beings who follow the guidance of God, manifest His love in deeds as much as in words, and sincerely promote human fellowship and mutual understanding.