DAR AL ISLAM: PROSTRATION, BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS NOT PERMISSIBLE - IT'S AN INFIDEL CUSTOM, DAWAH TRAVEL & FINALLY- - - ARMPIT HAIR

Performing Prostration While Reading the Qur’an

Q. Could you please give a list of the Qur’anic verses when a prostration is recommended? What happens if we read these verses and not perform a prostration?

A. Jalil

A. There are 15 verses in the Qur’an that mention prostration before God Almighty as a good action by God-fearing believers. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to perform such a prostration when we read or listen to any of these verses, whether during prayer or in any situation.

Some scholars are of the view that even if one has not performed ablution, one should prostrate oneself. These verses are given here, starting with the Arabic title of the surah which is followed by two numbers, the first indicating the surah, and the second indicating the verse,: Al-Araf 7: 206; Al-Raad 13: 15; Al-Nahl 16: 50; Al-Isra 17: 109; Maryam 19: 58; Al-Hajj 22: 18 & 22: 77; Al-Furqan 25: 60; Al-Naml 27: 26; Al-Sajdah 32: 15; Saad 38: 25; Fussilat 41: 38; Al-Najm 53: 62; Al-Inshiqaq 84: 21 and Al-Alaq 96: 19.

If you do not perform a prostration when you read or listen to any of these verses, you have done badly because you miss out on the reward of performing a prostration for God. You incur no sin and violate no divine order.

Women’s Group Travel

Q.1. Can a group of women travel together, without a male companion, to undertake a mission of
advocacy, i.e. dawah? Sometimes they travel abroad and sometimes within the same country? Such a trip may take them a week or even longer.

Q.2. I know that celebrating birthdays is un-Islamic, but is it permissible to express good wishes to people on their birthdays?

(Name and address withheld)

A.1. Islam requires that a woman does not travel unless she is accompanied by a mahram, i.e. her husband or a close relative, such as her father, brother, son, uncle or nephew. This is not due to any lack of trust in women, but to provide them with necessary care in areas where they may know no one. It is part of the care Islam takes of women. Therefore, scholars have spoken of “safe companionship” as a replacement of a male companion. This, however, applies in cases where the travel is a necessity, as in the case of performing the pilgrimage. When the travel is unnecessary, a Muslim woman should not travel unless accompanied by a male companion.
Having said that, I note that the reader mentions specifically travel for dawah or Islamic advocacy work, which is the type of activity undertaken by members of the Tableegh organization. There is no doubt that the Tableegh people do much good work. However, their strategy of travel for such work and attaching so much importance to such travel may be questioned on different counts. Some people undertake such travel without ensuring proper provisions for their families during their absence. Some risk becoming unemployed, thus bringing hardship to their families. Thus, they put their family duties, which are obligatory, as secondary to their advocacy, which is recommended and can be done at home. Hence, their order of priorities is questionable. This does not apply to all of them, but the importance attached to such travel in the overall strategy of the organization certainly raises a few question marks.

If this organization is now sending women members on such trips, it needs to re-examine its approach very carefully. How do they look after these women when they travel is a very grave consideration. Men members may sleep in mosques at the places to which they travel. Where do they put up their female advocates? How do they encourage women to be away from their families for a week or so? This is certainly wrong. Why do they not confine the activity of their women members to their home towns and villages?

A.2. Some scholars maintain that celebrating birthdays is a practice of unbelievers which is forbidden to follow. It may be so, if the intention is to follow in the footsteps of unbelievers. However, the overwhelming majority of Muslims who mark their own or their children’s birthdays have no such intention. They simply use the day as a platform for some celebration, inviting relatives and friends to spend sometime together in an atmosphere of joy and relaxation. Islam certainly has not encouraged such an activity, but there is no specific prohibition either. A matter which has no express verdict in Islam remains permissible unless a certain factor applies to make it otherwise. In this case, the factor is imitating unbelievers. Therefore, the verdict is subject to the intention of the person arranging it. Expressing good wishes to people we know on their birthdays is permissible.

Recommended Practices

Q. What is the ruling regarding removing armpit hair and pubic hair? How often? Does it apply to both men and women?

A. C.

A. Plucking or removing armpit hair and shaving pubic hair is a recommended practice, which means that we earn a reward when we do it, but incur no sin when omitting to do it. The Prophet (peace be upon him) has recommended us to attend to this once in no more than 40 days. This applies to both men and women.



Pertinent Links:

1) Performing Prostration While Reading the Qur’an