A Muslim Convert Once Before

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ How would we know when Laylat al-Qadr occurs if some of the signs are on multiple days, for example, there could be multiple days of rain or calm nights? ”   If you are meant to know, you will see its signs.  Laylat al-Qadr is a Divine Gift to the faithful.  It is not something that can be found by gaming the system.  Even if you were to know how to calculate it, and there are those such as Shaykh Muhyi ad-Din Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn ‘Arabi ( q.s. ), who have given us such a formula, there is still no guarantee that you will experience it.  If you want to seek Laylat al-Qadr , then you need to spend the days of your Ramadhan in physical and spiritual fasting, and the nights in prayer and contemplation.

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ What effect does zakat have on social welfare of the community? ”   There are two types of zakat: zakat al-mal and zakat al-fithr .  Zakat al-mal is the charity tax on unused wealth.  It is incumbent upon the wealthy.  Zakat al-fithr is the obligation of every Muslim to ensure that the poor and destitute have something to eat on ‘Iyd al-Fithr .  Zakat al-mal is what you are referring to in this question.   When a portion of funds sitting in banks and other instruments are given back to the community, it causes a portion of that locked up wealth to go back into the community and circulate.  This goes a small way towards giving the poor a stake in the economy, and society.  It raises, just a tiny bit, their purchasing power.   Any society where there is institutionalised poverty, and no mechanism for people to move up socioeconomic c...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ Should zakat al-fithr be given in the form of meat when people in the city have enough grains? ”   Zakat al-fithr is given to poor and destitute Muslims so that they can celebrate ‘Iyd al-Fithr .  The minimum amount is one sa’ , which is around four double handfuls, of food.  The food should be staples such as grain or dried fruit for each member of the family, or an equivalent amount of money.  Meat should not be given as zakat al-fithr unless it is a staple.  This may apply to societies of hunter-gatherers from the far north, for example.  Otherwise, if you want to give meat, that meat should be considered swadaqah , charity, and the act is meritorious.

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ When was the Battle of Badr? ”   The Battle of Badr was fought on the 17 th Ramadhan 2 AH, in the Hijaz, at the Wells of Badr.  It was the first major ghazwat , battle, led by the Prophet ( s.a.w. ), in the early days of Islam, between the Quraysh and the Muslim community of Madina.  The battle was a decisive victory to the Muslims due to Divine intervention.  It is a battle of the converts, since the Muslims were all converts to Islam.  It is one of the few battles specifically mentioned in the Qur’an.   سُوۡرَةُ آل عِمرَان قَدۡ ڪَانَ لَكُمۡ ءَايَةٌ۬ فِى فِئَتَيۡنِ ٱلۡتَقَتَا‌ۖ فِئَةٌ۬ تُقَـٰتِلُ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَأُخۡرَىٰ ڪَافِرَةٌ۬ يَرَوۡنَهُم مِّثۡلَيۡهِمۡ رَأۡىَ ٱلۡعَيۡنِ‌ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُؤَيِّدُ بِنَصۡرِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ‌ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٲلِكَ لَعِبۡرَةً۬ لِّأُوْلِى ٱلۡأَبۡصَـٰرِ (١٣)   “There has already been for you a Sign in the two armies that me...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ Is ‘Save the Children Fund’ eligible for zakat ? ”   No, it is not.  It is a fund, not one of the aswnaf , categories of people eligible for zakat .  In fact, being an orphan is itself not an aswnaf , unless the orphan falls under the other aswnaf such as fakir , indigent; miskin , poor; or gharimin , debtors.   Another condition of zakat is tamlik , transfer of ownership.  The majority of the fuqaha’ , jurists, agree that the condition for a valid payment of zakat is that someone deserving should be given possession of the zakat as its owner.  The following is ijma’ , consensus.  If you give to a fund, even if all the money was spent for the benefit of these very people without having given them possession of it, that zakat is considered to be unpaid.   However, in orphanages where meals and clothes are given to orphans as being owned by them, t...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ How do I know Allah ( s.w.t. ) Accepted my fast this Ramadhan? ”   Unless you are some great wali , and have an Explicit Sign, you do not know.  None of us do.  What we can do is husn azh-zhan , have good thoughts of Allah’s ( s.w.t. ) Generosity and Mercy, and believe so.  Our ‘ibadah is generally Accepted by Allah ( s.w.t. ), unless there is some great nifaq , hypocrisy in its commission, and even them, His Mercy may Cause Allah ( s.w.t. ) to Relent.  This Acceptance is due to the intercession of the Prophet ( s.a.w. ) and for the sake of the awliya’ for the ummah .

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ If a muslimah gets her period in Ramadhan, then should she hide it from her parents? ”   That is plain stupid.  She is having her period.  She is not taking part in human blood sacrifice to summon Satan.  What is there to hide?  Muslim families are quite familiar with the fact that women have times in the month when they cannot pray or fast.  There is nothing special about this.

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ Would you allow Muslims to immigrate to your country? ”   It makes no sense for immigration policy to be based solely on religion.  When we consider it logically, how many people who claim adherence to any faith actually follow every single commandment, every rule, every article of faith?  Nobody knows that much.  Even if they did, considering the multitudes of schools, sects and denominations in every religion, it would be impossible because they contradict each other.   Immigration policy should be based on need of the state, the values of the prospective immigrant in relation to the citizenry, and whether they would make good citizens.  Ultimately, it is about values.  Values are not commensurate with religious adherence. An honest man is honest regardless of his faith or lack of it.  A dishonest man is dishonest likewise.

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ Which book of ahadits was written first? ”   The swahifah are the earliest collections of ahadits , and written by the companions during the lifetime of the Prophet ( s.a.w. ), or by their followers amongst the tabi’in .   Some of these collections are also considered rasa’il or kutub .   Examples of this include the Swahifah of Sayyidina Abu Hurayrah ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Sakhr ad-Dawsi az-Zahrani al-Azdi ( r.a. ), which he taught and handed down to his nine known students, one of whom was Shaykh Hammam ibn Munabbih ( r.a. ).   Shaykh Hammam ibn Munabbih ( r.a. ‎ ) was a scholar, from among the tabi’in and one of the narrators of hadits .   Shaykh Abu ‘Abdullah Wahb ibn Munabbih asw-Swana’ani adz-Dzamari ( r.a. ), the famed transmitter of ahadits as well as Judeo-Christian stories, was his brother.   Swahifah Hammam ibn Munabbih is the only example of this that...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ Where did the concept of Original Sin originate? ”   Original Sin refers to the sin of Adam ( a.s. ) in the Garden when he disobeyed God and approached the Tree of Life, resulting in the Fall of Man.   It is a Christian doctrine.   There are many interpretations of this doctrine.   It was first known to be properly articulated as a doctrine in the 2 nd century CE, by Bishop Irenaeus of Lyons.   It can be considered a reaction in the Catholic refutation of Gnostic dualism.   It was the consensus of the major Church Fathers that this is based on the teachings of Paul of Tarsus.   These included Bishop Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis, Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, Bishop Aurelius Ambrosius and Bishop Cyprian of Carthage.   The passages on which Original Sin is based on are the following:   Romans 5:12-21 12 It was through one ma...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ What do these verses in the Qur’an imply? ”   This is the verse:   سُوۡرَةُ الزّخرُف إِنَّ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ فِى عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ خَـٰلِدُونَ (٧٤) لَا يُفَتَّرُ عَنۡهُمۡ وَهُمۡ فِيهِ مُبۡلِسُونَ (٧٥) وَمَا ظَلَمۡنَـٰهُمۡ وَلَـٰكِن كَانُواْ هُمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (٧٦) وَنَادَوۡاْ يَـٰمَـٰلِكُ لِيَقۡضِ عَلَيۡنَا رَبُّكَ‌ۖ قَالَ إِنَّكُم مَّـٰكِثُونَ (٧٧) لَقَدۡ جِئۡنَـٰكُم بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَكُمۡ لِلۡحَقِّ كَـٰرِهُونَ (٧٨)   The sinners will be in the Punishment of Hell, to dwell therein (for aye): Nowise will the (Punishment) be lightened for them, and in despair will they be there overwhelmed.   Nowise shall We be unjust to them: but it is they who have been unjust themselves.   They will cry, “O Malik!   Would that your Lord put an end to us!”   He will say, “Nay but you shall abide!”   Verily We have brought the truth to you: but mos...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ What arguments have been used to counter the Epicurean Paradox? ”   I am looking at this question for the Abrahamic and related traditions since they explicitly hold the concept of an Omniscient, Omnipotent God as central to their theological doctrine.   Mainstream Judaism and traditional Islam both agree that evil is perception since if God is All Good, then everything in the Divine Sight and cosmic scale is ultimately good.   It is our inadequacy and perception that causes things to be “evil”.   There is a Day of Judgement where all misconceptions are Addressed.   Based on Scripture, Christianity actually defines evil as all that is opposed to God and His   Intent, sin; or that which the human perspective views as “harmful and non-productive”, suffering. Christian theologians have argued that though evil is present, it is not strong enough evidence to su...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ What are the strongest arguments against Singularitarianism? ”   Singularitarianism is the belief that a technological singularity will likely happen in the medium future, and that deliberate action should be taken to work towards it, since it is the next step of human evolution.   This belief in the singularity is a materialist view of the world.   Despite its veneer of science, it is a belief, with no real basis, another religion driven by a fear of death, with no responsibility to another theological conception of a Creator, or morality.   It is difficult to comprehensively refute any belief system which is not formalised.   There is no creed to review, no law to consider.   People who adhere to this system all have their own conceptions of this notion of a singularity.   However, we can consider this: the singularity essentially believes we can co...