Dr. Jasser Auda
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Reciting Quran & Tawaf: Women in Menses Excluded?

Posted by | Mar 6, 2016 |

In the previous part, Dr. Jasser Auda discussed the scholars’ opinions regarding the permissibly of visiting mosques for menstruating women. In this part, he investigates whether a woman in period is allowed to recite the Quran and do Tawaf.   As for reciting the Quran by a menstruating woman or ajunubperson, the best view I have ever read on this issue is that of Ibn Taymiyyah and his disciple Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah shower their souls with mercy). Ibn Taymiyyah said, As for reciting the Quran by a junub person or a menstruating woman, scholars have three opinions, one of which is that it is permissible, and this is the opinion of Abu Hanifah and the famous opinion in the Shafi`i and Hanbali schools. Another opinion is that it is impermissible for thejunub person, yet permissible for the menstruating woman either generally or in case she fears that she might forget it. This is the opinion of Malik, one of the opinions reported from Ahmad and others. For, no authentic Hadith is reported from the Prophet (peace and be blessings be upon him) on reciting the Quran by a menstruating woman. The only Hadith is that narrated from Isma`il ibn `Ayyash from Musa ibn `Uqbah from Nafi` from Ibn `Umar that he said, “Neither a menstruating woman nor a junubperson should recite anything from the Quran”. This Hadith, which is reported by Abu Dawud...

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Is the Mosque “Off-limits” for Menstruating Women?

Posted by | Mar 6, 2016 |

Let me start answering this question by the following conclusion: The House of Allah is never “off-limits” for any believer, man or woman, at any time.  Is it permissible for a menstruating woman to stay in the Mosque without offering prayer? Scholars differ in opinion concerning the permissibly of entering the mosque for a menstruating woman. The prominent scholar, Dr. Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, has a beneficial fatwa in this regard that is worth quoting. He states: Jurists have considerably deferred regarding staying in the mosque for a menstruating woman and a junub[1] person without performing ablution, as Almighty Allah says, {O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying or in a state of janabah, except those passing through [a place of prayer], until you have washed [your body]} (An-Nisa’ 4: 43).       So, the Hanbali jurists deemed it permissible for such a person to stay in the Mosque in case one has performed ablution (Wudu’), drawing on the Hadith narrated by Sa`id ibn Mansur and Al-Athram from `Ata’ ibn Yasar that he said, “I saw junub Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) staying in the Mosque after performing the ablution due for prayer”. Other jurists, however, deemed it permissible for ajunub person and for a menstruating woman or a woman in her postpartum period (nufasa’) to stay in...

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Women Area in Mosque: Too Many Restrictions? (Part 1-5)

Women Area in Mosque: Too Many Restrictions? (Part 1-5)

Posted by | Mar 2, 2016 |

Where should women offer prayer within a mosque? And where did they pray during the lifetime of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)? In Muslim countries, mosques that designate areas for women’s prayer rarely allow women to line up directly behind men in the same hall as was the practice in the Prophet’s Mosque during his lifetime. In many Arab countries, it is common to separate men’s prayer place from women’s, especially in small mosques. The distance between the two prayer areas varies from one mosque to another. The majority of mosques in Muslim countries contain special...

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The 7 Roles of the Mosque

Posted by | Mar 1, 2016 |

                            In Islam, mosques are not just “places of prayers.” Mosques are – in modern terminology – community centers. The role of the mosque in Islam is one of the major things that have to be reformed before the Muslim nation is capable of recovering from its present status. How do Muslims judge what the role of the mosque is from what is not? The answer is clearly by referring to the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the days of the message. A quick survey reveals the following roles for the Prophet’s mosque during his lifetime. A Place for Prayers for All The mosque of the Prophet (peace be upon him) -in Madinah- was the main place for the believers to meet for collective prayers five times a day. This is the one and only role that the mosque is playing today. However, there is still a major difference, which is that the mosque of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was opened for everybody, men and women, old and small, Arab and non-Arab. Refer, for evidence, to numerous hadith narrated in Bukhari and Muslim, for example, under the chapters referring to mosques. There are currently shortcomings in mosques in this area in the following senses: – Women are generally not allowed in...

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How Did Adam and Eve’s Children Reproduce?

Posted by | Feb 29, 2016 |

  Question: As-salamu Alaykum Thanks for the great service you are offering. If Adam and Eve were the first two human beings and their children were brothers and sisters, then where did the rest of the Earth’s population come from? Also what is the proof? I’m just curious, thank you very much. Moshtaha         Answer: As-salamu Alaykum Dear Moshtaha, Thank you so much for your question and for contacting Ask About Islam. Do you mean they could not have married because they were brothers and sisters? Actually, in the previous versions of Islam (that is, the ancient heavenly messages revealed before Muhammad), marriage between brothers and sisters was not banned. Allah made for every era a different Shari`ah (law) that suits the needs of life on earth, and the stage of development that humanity is at. The Quran says what means: {For each We have appointed a divine law and a traced-out way.} (Al-Ma’idah 5:48) Scholars said that Hawaa’ (Eve) delivered twins—a boy and a girl—with each pregnancy. Twins were not allowed to marry each other, but they were allowed to marry another brother or sister. Maan Khalife, a staff member of Ask About Islam, added: We don’t have any proofs except what is mentioned in the Quran and hadith that Allah has created Adam and Eve and made them live on earth to procreate. Please read Surah Al-Baqarah, verses 30-39. Jarir ibn Abdullah (May Allah...

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